Free Response to Motion - District Court of Arizona - Arizona

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LAW OFFICES One Arizona Center, 400 E. Van Buren Phoenix, Arizona 85004-2202 (602) 382-6000

Howard Sobelman (#015559) Jennifer Hadley Dioguardi (#018380) SNELL & WILMER L.L.P. One Arizona Center 400 E. Van Buren Phoenix, AZ 85004-2202 Telephone: (602) 382-6371 Facsimile: (602) 382-6070 E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] Roger L. Cook (Admitted Pro Hac Vice) Eric P. Jacobs (Admitted Pro Hac Vice) Townsend & Townsend & Crew LLP Two Embarcadero Center, 8th Floor San Francisco, CA 94111 Telephone: (415) 576-0200 Facsimile: (415) 576-0300 Attorneys for Defendant IXYS Corporation IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

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Case 2:00-cv-00660-HRH

Snell & Wilmer L.L.P.

Lemelson Medical, Education & Research Foundation, Limited Partnership, Plaintiff, v. Esco Electronics Corporation, et al., Defendant.

No. CV-00-0660 PHX-HRH DEFENDANT IXYS CORPORATION'S RESPONSE TO PLAINTIFF'S MOTION TO DISMISS -andREQUEST FOR ENTRY OF JUDGMENT PURSUANT TO RULE 54(b), FED.R.CIV.P.

Defendant IXYS Corporation ("IXYS") does not oppose plaintiff's motion to dismiss all claims with prejudice (Doc. #577), and hereby joins in the motion. IXYS does, however, object to plaintiff's proposed Order of Dismissal, which does not include an express determination that there is no just reason for delay and an express direction for the entry of judgment. Accordingly, as written, Lemelson's

proposed order would not terminate the action as to any of the parties, and would be subject to revision at any time before the entry of judgment adjudicating all the claims

Document 582

Filed 01/12/2006

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LAW OFFICES One Arizona Center, 400 E. Van Buren Phoenix, Arizona 85004-2202 (602) 382-6000

and rights and liabilities of all the parties. See Rule 54(b), Fed.R.Civ.P., which provides as follows: (b) Judgment Upon Multiple Claims or Involving Multiple Parties. When more than one claim for relief is presented in an action, whether as a claim, counterclaim, cross-claim, or third-party claim, or when multiple parties are involved, the court may direct the entry of a final judgment as to one or more but fewer than all of the claims or parties only upon an express determination that there is no just reason for delay and upon an express direction for the entry of judgment. In the absence of such determination and direction, any order or other form of decision, however designated, which adjudicates fewer than all the claims or the rights and liabilities of fewer than all the parties shall not terminate the action as to any of the claims or parties, and the order or other form of decision is subject to revision at any time before the entry of judgment adjudicating all the claims and the rights and liabilities of all the parties. By expressly finding that there is no just reason for delay and directing entry of judgment as to the claims being dismissed, this Court would ripen any claims for attorney fees based on those claims. Fed.R.Civ.P., Rule 54(d)(2). Otherwise, such claims would be delayed until after resolution of claims of infringement of other patents against IXYS and Via Technologies, Inc. There is a high likelihood of attorney fee awards to the defendants with regard to such claims. The Federal Circuit's decision rendering the subject patents unenforceable was based upon a finding of so-called "prosecution laches" which the Federal Circuit characterized as an "egregious case [] of misuse of the statutory patent system." A successful defendant in a patent infringement action may be awarded his or her attorney fees pursuant to 35 USC §285, which allows attorney fee awards in an "exceptional case." It is difficult to see how attempted enforcement of patents acquired through an egregious misuse of the statutory patent system would not constitute an "exceptional case" under §285. At least one other defendant has requested entry of judgment pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. Rule 54(b).

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Snell & Wilmer L.L.P.

Case 2:00-cv-00660-HRH

Document 582- 2 - Filed 01/12/2006

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LAW OFFICES One Arizona Center, 400 E. Van Buren Phoenix, Arizona 85004-2202 (602) 382-6000

In the interest of judicial economy and efficiency, this Court should consider all attorney fee claims based upon the "prosecution laches" patents at the same time. By joining in the motion to dismiss, IXYS does not intend to waive its right to seek its attorney fees pursuant to 35 USC §285. Accordingly, IXYS respectfully requests that this Court order that (1) All claims asserted against all parties, including IXYS, by plaintiff

Lemelson Medical, Education & Research Foundation, Limited Partnership, based on the following patents, should be dismissed with prejudice: United States Patents Number 4,338, 626, 4,511,918, 4,969,038, 4,979,029, 4,984,073, 5,023,714, 5,067,012, 5,119,190, 5,119,205, 5,128,753, 5,144,421, 5,249,045, 5,283,641, and 5,351,078; (2) Pursuant to Rule 54(b), Fed.R.Civ.P., there is no just reason for delay as to

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the aforesaid claims and entry of judgment as to those claims in favor of all parties, including IXYS Corporation, is expressly directed; (3) Any motions for attorney fees based upon this judgment must be filed no

Snell & Wilmer L.L.P.

later than 14 days after such entry of judgment pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 54(d)(2). DATED this 12th day of January, 2006. SNELL & WILMER L.L.P. By: s/ Jennifer Hadley Dioguardi Howard Sobelman (#015559) Jennifer Hadley Dioguardi (#018380) One Arizona Center 400 E. Van Buren Phoenix, AZ 85004-2202 E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] -andRoger L. Cook (Admitted Pro Hac Vice) Eric P. Jacobs (Admitted Pro Hac Vice) Townsend & Townsend & Crew LLP Two Embarcadero Center, 8th Floor San Francisco, CA 94111 Attorneys for Defendant IXYS Corporation

Case 2:00-cv-00660-HRH

Document 582- 3 - Filed 01/12/2006

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LAW OFFICES One Arizona Center, 400 E. Van Buren Phoenix, Arizona 85004-2202 (602) 382-6000

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that on the 12th day of January, 2006, I electronically transmitted the attached document to the Clerk's Office using the CM/ECF System for filing and transmittal of a Notice of Electronic Filing to the following CM/ECF registrants: Louis J. Hoffman Hoffman & Zur 14614 North Kierland Blvd., Suite 300 Scottsdale, AZ 85254 Victoria Gruver Curtin Victoria Gruver Curtin PLC 14614 North Kierland Blvd., Suite 300 Scottsdale, AZ 85254 Peter C. Warner Peter C. Warner PC 1723 W. 4th Street Tempe, AZ 85281-2404 Cheryl Lee Johnson Squire Sanders & Dempsey LLP 801 S. Figueroa Street, 14th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90017 Donald J. Wall Mark A. Nadeau Squire Sanders & Dempsey LLP Two Renaissance Square 40 North Central Avenue, Suite 2700 Phoenix, AZ 85004-4441 Jonathan M. James Perkins Coie Brown & Bain PA P.O. Box 400 Phoenix, AZ 85001-0400 Jennifer A. Van Kirk Lewis & Roca LLP 40 North Central Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85004-4429 John R. Tellier Titus Brueckner & Berry PC 7373 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite B-252 Scottsdale, AZ 85253-3527

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Snell & Wilmer L.L.P.

Case 2:00-cv-00660-HRH

Document 582

Filed 01/12/2006

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LAW OFFICES One Arizona Center, 400 E. Van Buren Phoenix, Arizona 85004-2202 (602) 382-6000

Richard A. Halloran Lewis & Roca LLP 40 North Central Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85004-4429 Brett L. Dunkelman Osborn Maledon PA 2929 North Central Avenue, Suite 2100 Phoenix, AZ 85012-2794 Douglas W. Seitz Bradley W. Petersen Sid Leach Timothy James Casey Snell & Wilmer LLP One Arizona Center 400 East Van Buren Phoenix, AZ 85004-2202 Kevin Michael Judiscak Engelman Berger PC 3636 North Central Avenue, Suite 700 Phoenix, AZ 85012-1985 Darlene Marie Wauro Roshka Dewulf & Patten PLC One Arizona Center, Suite 800 Phoenix, AZ 85004-3906 John E. DeWulf Roshka Dewulf & Patten PLC One Arizona Center, Suite 800 Phoenix, AZ 85004-3906 Randall H Warner Jones Skelton & Hochuli PLC 2901 North Central Avenue, Suite 800 Phoenix, AZ 85012 Brad W. Blocker Adrian Wolff Carr & Ferrell, LLP 2200 Geng Road Palo Alto, CA 94303

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Snell & Wilmer L.L.P.

Case 2:00-cv-00660-HRH

Document 582- 2 - Filed 01/12/2006

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LAW OFFICES One Arizona Center, 400 E. Van Buren Phoenix, Arizona 85004-2202 (602) 382-6000

I hereby certify that on the 12th day of January, 2006, I served the attached document by U.S. Mail on the following, who are not registered participants of the CM/ECF System: Jay Todd Stewart Perkins Coie Brown & Bain PA P.O. Box 400 Phoenix, AZ 85001-0400 Howard I. Sobelman Snell & Wilmer LLP One Arizona Center 400 East Van Buren Phoenix, AZ 85004-2202 Roger L. Cook Eric P. Jacobs Townsend & Townsend & Crew LLP Two Embarcadero Center, 8th Floor San Francisco, CA 94111 Lee F. Grossman Jennifer P. Goetsch Marshall O'Toole Gerstain Murray & Borun 233 South Wacker Drive, Suite 6300 Chicago, IL 60606 Terrence J. Fleming Eric J. Peck Lindquist & Vennum PLLP 80 South 8th Street 4200 IDS Center Minneapolis, MN 55402-2205 Wendy Evelyn Giberti Titus Brueckner & Berry PC 7373 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite B-252 Scottsdale, AZ 85253-3527 Lekha Gopalakrishnan Lisa Meyerhoff Jenkens & Gilchrist PC 1445 Ross Avenue, Suite 3200 Dallas, TX 75202 David A. Nelson Scott H. Gingold Latham & Watkins 5800 Sears Tower 233 South Wacker Drive Chicago, IL 60606

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Snell & Wilmer L.L.P.

Case 2:00-cv-00660-HRH

Document 582- 3 - Filed 01/12/2006

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LAW OFFICES One Arizona Center, 400 E. Van Buren Phoenix, Arizona 85004-2202 (602) 382-6000

Dean G. Dunlavey Latham & Watkins 650 Town Center Drive, 20th Floor Costa Mesa, CA 92626 Mark A. Flagel Latham & Watkins 633 West 5th Street, Suite 4000 Los Angeles, CA 90071-2007 Theodore J. Mlynar Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP 919 Third Avenue New York, NY 10022 Charles Quinn Jesse J. Jenner Albert E. Fey Fish & Neave 1251 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020 Richard E. Fee Ganther & Fee PA 101 E. Kennedy Boulevard, Suite 1030 Tampa, FL 33602 William J. Heller McCarter & English P.O. Box 652 Newark, NJ 07101-0652 Keith A. Rutherford Wong, Cabello, Lutsch, Rutherford & Brucculeri LLP 20333 State Highway 249, Suite 600 Houston, TX 77070-2698 Michael T. Murphy Roylance, Abrams, Berdo & Goodman, L.L.P. 1300 Nineteenth Street, N.W., Suite 600 Washington, DC 20036 Bruce C. Piontkowski Ropers Majeski Kohn & Bentley PC 80 North 1st Street San Jose, CA 95113 Peter L. Berger Levisohn, Lerner, Berger & Langsam 757 Third Avenue, Suite 2400 New York, NY 10017

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Snell & Wilmer L.L.P.

Case 2:00-cv-00660-HRH

Document 582- 4 - Filed 01/12/2006

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LAW OFFICES One Arizona Center, 400 E. Van Buren Phoenix, Arizona 85004-2202 (602) 382-6000

Joseph S. Wu Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLC 501 W. Broadway 19th Floor San Diego, CA 92101 Mark T. Palin Todd J. Eastman Arter & Hadden LLP 550 W. C Street, 16th Floor San Diego, CA 92101-3568 Stephen J. Burdumy Drinker Biddle & Reath 1 Logan Square 18th & Cherry Streets Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996 John S. Ferrell Carr & Ferrell, LLP 2200 Geng Road Palo Alto, CA 94303 Robert J. McAughan, Jr. Scott J. Garber Arnold White & Durkee P.O. Box 4433 Houston, TX 77210-4433 Daniel J. Noblitt Noblitt & Gilmore LLC 4800 North Scottsdale Road, Suite 6000 Scottsdale, AZ 85251-7630 Russell E. Levine David K. Callahan Kirkland & Ellis 200 East Randolph Drive, Suite 5800 Chicago, IL 60601

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Case 2:00-cv-00660-HRH Document 582- 5 - Filed 01/12/2006 Page 8 of 9

Snell & Wilmer L.L.P.

SNELL & WILMER L.L.P. By: s/ Jennifer Hadley Dioguardi Howard Sobelman (#015559) Jennifer Hadley Dioguardi (#018380) One Arizona Center 400 E. Van Buren Phoenix, AZ 85004-2202 E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] -and-

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LAW OFFICES One Arizona Center, 400 E. Van Buren Phoenix, Arizona 85004-2202 (602) 382-6000

Roger L. Cook (Admitted Pro Hac Vice) Eric P. Jacobs (Admitted Pro Hac Vice) Townsend & Townsend & Crew LLP Two Embarcadero Center, 8th Floor San Francisco, CA 94111 Attorneys for Defendant IXYS Corporation
38178.0001\DIOGUAJ\PHX\1777539.1

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Case 2:00-cv-00660-HRH Document 582- 6 - Filed 01/12/2006 Page 9 of 9

Snell & Wilmer L.L.P.