November 6, 2012 - For the second time this year, a U.S. federal district judge has tossed a patent lawsuit between Apple and Motorola Mobility.
In the first trial, Judge Richard Posner dismissed the two companies' lawsuits against each other because neither had presented a strong case for damages and also because imposing injunctions on either party would not be in the public interest.
Now a different federal judge in Madison, Wisconsin has dismissed a lawsuit Apple brought against Motorola Mobility over patents in wireless technology. Judge Barbara Crabb didn't give a reason for tossing the suit, but it apparently had something to do with setting a FRAND (fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory) rate for Apple to license Motorola's standard-essential cellular and WiFi patents.
Judge Crabb dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning that Apple can only resuscitate its claims against Motorola in this case by appealing the judge's decision - not by refiling the same complaint in another district court.