In a twist of perplexing legal developments, a California federal judge has delivered a stunning blow to tech giant Apple, denying its bid for approximately $5 million in attorney fees and expert expenses. This surprising decision comes on the heels of Apple’s recent triumph in a patent infringement lawsuit filed by headphone manufacturer Taction Technology Inc.
Judge’s Ruling Shatters Apple’s Expectations
U.S. District Judge Todd Robinson’s decision, handed down on Tuesday, shattered Apple’s expectations, as he denied the tech titan’s motion for attorney fees. Apple’s argument revolved around Taction’s alleged “unreasonable” litigation tactics, which they claimed had caused them substantial financial burdens.
Despite emerging victorious in the patent infringement battle, Judge Robinson delivered a perplexing verdict: “the fact that Taction’s claims did not survive summary judgment does not mean that its claims were objectively baseless or that this case was an exceptional one.”
“The claims for patent infringement in this action were reasonable,” the judge added. “Accordingly, considering the totality of the circumstances, the court declines to find the case to be exceptional.”
Apple’s August Motion and Taction’s Protracted Battle
Apple had submitted a motion in August, claiming that Taction had unnecessarily protracted the litigation by failing to admit its inability to maintain its patent infringement claims following a September 2022 claim construction order. Apple had sought a staggering $4.5 million in attorney fees and an additional $444,000 in expert expenses.
