Court Relaxes Patent Test

(NEWSER) - Supreme Court Justice David Souter thinks the worth of a jurist is “not in the great moments, but in being part of the great stream,” he said in an emotional farewell today to appeals-court judges. Souter said he didn’t intend that news of his retirement be leaked but was glad that it “gives me the chance to say some of the things on my mind," the Washington Post reports. Judges' value comes not from perfect decisions or trials but from being "members of a great guild," he said. More»

It claims the Wii uses stolen motion-sensing technology

(NEWSER) - A Maryland tech firm claims that Nintendo stole some of its technology for the popular Wii console, the Wall Street Journal reports. Hillcrest Laboratories filed a complaint with the US International Trade Commission, alleging that Nintendo infringed on patents for motion-sensing technology. It wants to ban Wii consoles from being imported to the US, and a lawsuit is pending. Nintendo had no comment on the complaint. More»

Fear of lawsuits behind group effort to snap up intellectual property

(NEWSER) - Some of tech's biggest players are banding together to corner the market on patents key to their various businesses, the Wall Street Journal reports. Companies like Google and Verizon are afraid of being held hostage by small players with a claim on key bits of intellectual property, and wary of so-called "patent trolls," outfits that buy intellectual property solely to launch lawsuits. More»

First female Supreme Court justice's legacy uncertain

(NEWSER) - Even as Sandra Day O’Connor public profile as an advocate for Alzheimer’s disease research grows, the legal imprint of the first woman Supreme Court justice is fading, USA Today reports. Since her departure, the Roberts court has shifted course on abortion and retreated from positions supported by her swing vote on affirmative action and campaign finance. More»

Will buy three patents as part of agreement with MercExchange

(NEWSER) - After years of legal battling that escalated to the Supreme Court, eBay has settled a patent-infringement lawsuit by e-commerce technology company MercExchange. The companies aren’t revealing the financial terms, but eBay will buy the three patents that led to the suit. The auction giant said the agreement won’t affect its 2007 results or 2008 financial guidance, reports the Wall Street Journal. More»