throbber
Case 2:12-cv-02782-JPM-cgc Document 44 Filed 07/25/13 Page 1 of 15 PageID 434
`
`
`UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
`WESTERN DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE
`WESTERN DIVISION
`
`
`
`B.E. TECHNOLOGY, L.L.C.,
`
`
`
`
`Plaintiff,
`
`v.
`
`)
`)
`) Civil Action No. 2:12-cv-02782
`)
`)
`)
`)
`
`)
`PANDORA MEDIA, INC.,
`)
`
`)
`Defendant.
`
`)
`
`
`)
`
`
`) Jury Trial Demanded
`
`
`)
`
`
` ____________________________________________)
`
`
`DEFENDANT PANDORA MEDIA, INC.’S
`RESPONSE OPPOSING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION TO STRIKE
`DEFENSES PURSUANT TO FED. R. CIV. P. 12(f)
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`
`Case 2:12-cv-02782-JPM-cgc Document 44 Filed 07/25/13 Page 2 of 15 PageID 435
`Case 2:l2—cv—O2782—JPM—cgc Document 44 Filed 07/25/13 Page 2 of 15 Page|D 435
`
`
`
`
`
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`I. NATURE AND STAGE OF THE PROCEEDINGS ....................................................... 1
`I. NATURE AND STAGE OF THE PROCEEDINGS ..................................................... .. 1
`
`II. PLAINTIFF’S MOTION SHOULD BE DENIED .......................................................... 1
`II. PLAINTIFF’S MOTION SHOULD BE DENIED ........................................................ .. 1
`
`A. Motions to Strike Under Rule 12(f) Are Rarely Granted............................................... 2
`A. Motions to Strike Under Rule 12(f) Are Rarely Granted ............................................. .. 2
`
`B. The “Fair Notice” Standard, not Twombly/Iqbal, Applies to Rule 12(f) Motions to Strike
`B. The “Fair Notice” Standard, not Twombly/Iqbal, Applies to Rule 12(f) Motions to Strike
`Affirmative Defenses ...................................................................................................... 3
`Affirmative Defenses .................................................................................................... .. 3
`
`C. Pandora Adequately Pled Its Affirmative Defenses...................................................... 7
`C. Pandora Adequately Pled Its Affirmative Defenses .................................................... .. 7
`
`1. Failure to State a Claim ......................................................................................... 7
`1.
`Failure to State a Claim ....................................................................................... .. 7
`
`2. Non-infringement ................................................................................................. 8
`2. Non-infringement ............................................................................................... .. 8
`
`3.
`3.
`
`Invalidity ............................................................................................................. 9
`Invalidity ........................................................................................................... .. 9
`
`III. CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................... 10
`III.
`CONCLUSION ................................................................................................... .. 10
`
`
`
`
`
`i
`
`

`
`Case 2:12-cv-02782-JPM-cgc Document 44 Filed 07/25/13 Page 3 of 15 PageID 436
`
`
`
`
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
`
`Cases 
`Ashcroft v. Iqbal,
`556 U.S. 662 (2009)...............................................................................................passim
`Avocent Redmond Corp. v. U.S.,
`85 Fed. Cl. 724 (Ct. Fed. Cl. 2009) .................................................................................. 8
`Bayer Cropscience AG v. Dow AgroSciences LLC, CIV. 10-1045 RMB-JS,
`2011 WL 6934557 (D. Del. Dec. 30, 2011) ....................................................................... 6
`Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly,
`550 U.S. 544 (2007)...............................................................................................passim
`Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. v. U.S.,
`201 F.2d 819 (6th Cir. 1953)........................................................................................ 3, 6
`Damron v. ATM Central LLC,
`2010 WL 6512345 (W.D. Tenn. Oct. 29, 2010) ............................................................. 3, 4
`Graphic Packaging Int’l., Inc. v. C.W. Zumbiel Co.,
`2011 WL 5829674 (N.D. Ga. Aug. 01, 2011) .................................................................... 9
`Kilgore-Wilson v. Home Depot U.S.A.,
`2012 WL 4062663 (W.D. Tenn. Sept. 14, 2012) ............................................................ 4, 8
`Lawrence v. Chabot,
`182 Fed. Appx. 442 (6th Cir. 2006) .................................................................................. 2
`McKinnie v. Lundell Mfg. Co., Inc.,
`825 F. Supp. 834 (W.D. Tenn. 1993) ................................................................................ 6
`McLemore v. Regions Bank,
`2010 WL 1010092 (M.D. Tenn. Mar. 18, 2010))................................................................ 3
`Monsanto Co. v. Scruggs,
`459 F.3d 1328 (Fed. Cir. 2006) ........................................................................................ 9
`Montgomery v. Wyeth,
`580 F.3d 455 (6th Cir. 2009)............................................................................................ 4
`
`
`
`ii
`
`

`
`Case 2:12-cv-02782-JPM-cgc Document 44 Filed 07/25/13 Page 4 of 15 PageID 437
`
`
`Overnite Transp. Co. v. Int’l Broth. Of Teamsters, Chauffers, Warehousemen, & Helpers of Am.,
`AFL-CIO,
`168 F. Supp. 2d 826 (W.D. Tenn. 2001)............................................................................ 3
`Paducah River Painting, Inc. v. McNational Inc.,
`2011 WL 5525938 (W.D. Ky. Nov. 14, 2011) ................................................................... 9
`Ray v. Fedex Corp. Servs., Inc.,
`668 F. Supp. 2d 1063 (W.D. Tenn. 2009) .......................................................................... 4
`Starnes Family Office, LLC v. McCullar,
`765 F. Supp. 2d 1036 (W.D. Tenn. 2011) ...................................................................... 4, 6
`Tyco Fire Prods. LP v. Victaulic Co.,
`777 F. Supp. 2d 893 (D. Del. 2011) ............................................................................ 5, 10
`
`Statutes 
`35 U.S.C. § 282 ................................................................................................................. 9
`
`
`
`iii
`
`

`
`Case 2:12-cv-02782-JPM-cgc Document 44 Filed 07/25/13 Page 5 of 15 PageID 438
`
`
`Defendant Pandora Media, Inc. (“Pandora”), by and through its undersigned counsel,
`
`hereby submits this Response in Opposition to Plaintiff B.E. Technology’s (“B.E.”) Motion to
`
`Strike pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(f). For the reasons provided below, the Court should deny
`
`B.E.’s motion.
`
`I.
`
`NATURE AND STAGE OF THE PROCEEDINGS
`
`B.E. alleges that Pandora has infringed U.S. Patent No. 6,628,314 (“the ‘314 patent”).
`
`See Dkt. 1. On September 10, 2012, B.E. filed a complaint alleging that “Pandora has infringed
`
`the ‘314 patent by using a method of providing demographically targeted advertising that
`
`directly infringes at least Claim 11 of the ‘314 patent either literally or under the doctrine of
`
`equivalents.” Dkt. 1 at ¶ 11. The Complaint does not provide any specific details as to why
`
`Pandora’s services allegedly infringe the asserted patent. Pandora filed its Answer on December
`
`31, 2012, asserting three affirmative defenses. See Dkt. 20. Pandora’s First Affirmative Defense
`
`states that “[t]he Complaint fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted.” Dkt. 20 at 6.
`
`Pandora’s Second Affirmative Defense provides that “Pandora has not infringed and is not
`
`infringing, any valid claim of the ‘314 patent.” Dkt. 20 at 7. Finally, Pandora’s Third
`
`Affirmative Defense states that “[e]ach of the claims of the ‘314 patent is invalid for failing to
`
`comply with the conditions of patentability set forth in the patent laws of the United States, 35
`
`U.S.C. § 1, et. seq., including without limitation, at least 35 U.S.C. §§ 102, 103, and/or 112.”
`
`Dkt. 20 at 7. On January 25, 2012, B.E. filed a Motion to Strike Pandora’s affirmative defenses.
`
`Dkt. 31.
`
`II.
`
`PLAINTIFF’S MOTION SHOULD BE DENIED
`
`B.E. argues in its Motion that the standard for pleading complaints, articulated in Bell
`
`Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544 (2007) and Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662 (2009),
`
`
`
`1
`
`

`
`Case 2:12-cv-02782-JPM-cgc Document 44 Filed 07/25/13 Page 6 of 15 PageID 439
`
`
`applies to the pleading of affirmative defenses. Dkt. 31-1 at 5. Specifically, B.E. contends that
`
`defendants pleading affirmative defenses should not be held to the “fair notice” standard
`
`traditionally applied by the Sixth Circuit when analyzing Rule 12(f) motions to strike, but,
`
`instead should be held to the higher Twombly/Iqbal standard requiring complaints to state claims
`
`with “facial plausibility.” Dkt. 31-1 at 2-5. B.E. subsequently argues that Pandora’s First
`
`Affirmative Defense and Second Affirmative Defense are insufficient and do not constitute
`
`affirmative defenses, and that Pandora’s Third Affirmative Defense fails to meet both the “fair
`
`notice” standard and the Twombly/Iqbal heightened pleading standard. Dkt. 31-1 at 8-12.
`
`B.E.’s Motion should be denied because this Court consistently applies the “fair notice”
`
`standard when reviewing Rule 12(f) motions to strike affirmative defenses, not the
`
`Twombly/Iqbal heightened pleading standard, and Pandora’s affirmative defenses provide fair
`
`notice. Therefore, Pandora respectfully requests that the Court deny B.E.’s Motion in its entirety.
`
`Alternatively, to the extent that the Court grants B.E.’s Motion, Pandora respectfully requests
`
`leave to amend its affirmative defenses in accordance with the Court’s ruling.
`
`A. Motions to Strike Under Rule 12(f) Are Rarely Granted
`
`Under Rule 12(f), a court “may strike from a pleading an insufficient defense.”
`
`Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(f). “An affirmative defense may be pleaded in general terms and will be held to
`
`be sufficient. . . as long as it gives plaintiff fair notice of the nature of the defense.” Lawrence v.
`
`Chabot, 182 Fed. Appx. 442, 456 (6th Cir. 2006). “To grant a Rule 12(f) motion, the court must
`
`determine that the challenged allegations are so unrelated to the plaintiff’s claims as to be
`
`unworthy of any consideration as a defense and that their presence in the pleading throughout the
`
`proceeding will be prejudicial to the moving party.” 5C Charles Alan Wright & Arthur R. Miller,
`
`Federal Practice & Procedure § 1380 (3d ed. 2004). Furthermore, “[m]otions to strike are
`
`
`
`2
`
`

`
`Case 2:12-cv-02782-JPM-cgc Document 44 Filed 07/25/13 Page 7 of 15 PageID 440
`
`
`‘disfavored remedies to be used sparingly only when the ends of justice require it.’” Damron v.
`
`ATM Central LLC, 2010 WL 6512345, at *1 (W.D. Tenn. Oct. 29, 2010) (citing Overnite
`
`Transp. Co. v. Int’l Broth. Of Teamsters, Chauffers, Warehousemen, & Helpers of Am., AFL-
`
`CIO, 168 F. Supp. 2d 826, 850 (W.D. Tenn. 2001)). Accordingly, the Sixth Circuit expressly
`
`discourages motions to strike, characterizing them as “a drastic remedy to be resorted to only
`
`when required for the purposes of justice.” Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. v. U.S., 201
`
`F.2d 819, 822 (6th Cir. 1953). Therefore, even if a court grants a Rule 12(f) motion, “the general
`
`practice is to grant the defendant leave to amend.” Id.
`
`B.
`
`The “Fair Notice” Standard, not Twombly/Iqbal, Applies to Rule 12(f)
`Motions to Strike Affirmative Defenses
`
`As B.E. cited in its Motion, “‘the Sixth Circuit has consistently used ‘fair notice’ as the
`
`
`
`standard for whether a defendant has sufficiently pleaded an affirmative defense.’” Dkt. 31-1 at 8
`
`(citing McLemore v. Regions Bank, 2010 WL 1010092, at *14 (M.D. Tenn. Mar. 18, 2010)).
`
`B.E., nevertheless, asks this Court to abandon the “fair notice” standard, which it has
`
`consistently applied when evaluating affirmative defense pleadings, in favor of the
`
`Twombly/Iqbal heightened pleading standard. To support its position, B.E. argues:
`
`1. The Sixth Circuit has not addressed, and there is a split of authority regarding, the
`
`appropriate pleading standard for affirmative defenses following the Twombly and Iqbal
`
`decisions. Dkt. 31-1 at 3.
`
`2. A District of Delaware decision misunderstood Rule 8(c) in holding that the
`
`Twombly/Iqbal standard does not apply to affirmative defenses. Dkt. 31-1 at 5-7.
`
`3. Rule 8(c) should be read in the context of Rule 12(f) and (h)(2), and therefore imposes
`
`a factual sufficiency requirement for affirmative defense pleadings. Dkt. 31-1 at 6-7.
`
`None of these arguments is persuasive.
`
`
`
`3
`
`

`
`Case 2:12-cv-02782-JPM-cgc Document 44 Filed 07/25/13 Page 8 of 15 PageID 441
`
`
`Regarding B.E.’s first argument, although there has been a split of authority among
`
`various district courts, the Sixth Circuit, following the Twombly and Iqbal decisions, held that
`
`the “Federal Rules of Civil Procedure do not require a heightened pleading standard for. . .
`
`defense[s].” Montgomery v. Wyeth, 580 F.3d 455, 468 (6th Cir. 2009). Although Montgomery
`
`did not expressly discuss pleading standards for affirmative defenses, subsequent district court
`
`decisions analyzing the issue have concluded that the proper pleading standard for affirmative
`
`defenses is “fair notice” and not the heightened standards of Twombly and Iqbal. See e.g.,
`
`Kilgore-Wilson v. Home Depot U.S.A., 2012 WL 4062663, at *2 (W.D. Tenn. Sept. 14, 2012)
`
`(“Montgomery strongly bolsters a finding that Defendant’s statutory defenses… are sufficiently
`
`plead to provide fair notice….As to [] other affirmative defenses… the Court finds no reason
`
`under Sixth Circuit precedent that these should be subjected to any different level of scrutiny
`
`than utilized in Montgomery.”); Starnes Family Office, LLC v. McCullar, 765 F. Supp. 2d 1036,
`
`1047 (W.D. Tenn. 2011) (“an affirmative defense may be pleaded in general terms and will be
`
`held to be sufficient. . . as long as it gives plaintiff fair notice of the nature of the defense”)
`
`(internal quotation marks and citation omitted); Damron, 2010 WL 6512345, at *2 (finding that
`
`“Defendant’s affirmative defenses have been sufficiently pled to give fair notice to the Plaintiff”
`
`in part because “there is a Sixth Circuit case post-Twombly and Iqbal that, while not discussing
`
`these cases directly, does state that ‘[t]he Federal Rules of Civil Procedure do not require a
`
`heightened pleading standard for . . . defense[s].”) (citing Montgomery, 580 F.3d at 468); Ray v.
`
`Fedex Corp. Servs., Inc., 668 F. Supp. 2d 1063, 1066 (W.D. Tenn. 2009) (“An affirmative
`
`defense may be pled in general terms provided the plaintiff has fair notice of the defense.”)
`
`(citation omitted).
`
`
`
`4
`
`

`
`Case 2:12-cv-02782-JPM-cgc Document 44 Filed 07/25/13 Page 9 of 15 PageID 442
`
`
`Notably, B.E. does not cite, and Pandora is unable to find, any case from this District
`
`requiring affirmative defenses to be pled according to the Twombly/Iqbal heightened standard.
`
`This Court applies the “fair notice” standard for affirmative defenses.
`
`Next, B.E. argues that courts declining to apply the Twombly/Iqbal pleading standard to
`
`affirmative defenses misunderstand Rule 8(c). Dkt. 31-1 at 5. B.E. reaches this conclusion by
`
`citing a Delaware district court case holding that the Twombly/Iqbal standard does not apply to
`
`affirmative defenses, in part, because “Rule 8 provides that a party must merely state, not show,
`
`an affirmative defense.” Dkt. 31-1 at 5 (quoting Tyco Fire Prods. LP v. Victaulic Co., 777 F.
`
`Supp. 2d 893, 901 (D. Del. 2011)). B.E. argues that the Tyco court’s holding represented a
`
`misunderstanding of Rule 8(c) because the “showing” requirement of Rule 8(a) for complaints
`
`supposedly requires the same level of specificity as the “state” requirement of Rule 8(c) for
`
`affirmative defenses. Therefore, B.E. posits that the Twombly/Iqbal standard applicable for Rule
`
`8(a) complaints is equally applicable for Rule 8(c) affirmative defenses.
`
`The holding in Tyco represented an accurate analysis of Rule 8. Specifically, while Rule
`
`8(a) provides that “a claim for relief” must contain “a short and plain statement of the claim
`
`showing that the pleader is entitled to relief” (emphasis added), Rule 8(c), by contrast, requires
`
`only that a party “affirmatively state any avoidance or affirmative defense.” (emphasis added).
`
`Furthermore, there are many reasons articulated by courts as to why affirmative defenses
`
`are not required to meet the heightened Twombly/Iqbal pleading standard:
`
`(1)
`
`(2)
`
`(3)
`
`
`a diminished concern that plaintiffs receive notice in light of their ability to obtain
`more information during discovery;
`
`the absence of a concern that the defense is “unlocking the doors of discovery”;
`
`the limited discovery costs, in relation to the costs imposed on a defendant, since
`it is unlikely that either side will pursue discovery on frivolous defenses;
`
`5
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`
`Case 2:12-cv-02782-JPM-cgc Document 44 Filed 07/25/13 Page 10 of 15 PageID 443
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`(4)
`
`(5)
`
`(6)
`
`(7)
`
`the unfairness of holding the defendant to the same pleading standard as the
`plaintiff, when the defendant has only a limited time to respond after service of
`the complaint . . . ;
`
`the low likelihood that motions to strike … would expedite the litigation given
`that leave to amend is routinely granted;
`
`the risk that a defendant will waive a defense at trial by failing to plead it at the
`early stage of the litigation;
`
`the lack of detail in Form 30, which demonstrates the appropriate pleading of an
`affirmative defense; and
`
`(8)
`
`the fact that a heightened pleading requirement would produce more motions to
`strike, which are disfavored.
`
`Bayer Cropscience AG v. Dow AgroSciences LLC, CIV. 10-1045 RMB-JS, 2011 WL 6934557,
`
`at *1-*2 (D. Del. Dec. 30, 2011) (collecting cases). B.E. fails to address these additional reasons
`
`why a heightened pleading standard should not apply to affirmative defenses.
`
`
`
`Finally, B.E. argues that Rule 8(c) should be read in the context of Rule 12(f) and Rule
`
`12(h)(2), thereby imposing sufficiency requirements not explicitly stated in Rule 8(c). Dkt. 36-1
`
`at 6-7. Regarding Rule 12(f), B.E. posits that Rule 8(c) requires that defense pleadings may be
`
`factually “insufficient” because “many cases support the conclusion that defenses are to be tested
`
`for their factual sufficiency.” Id. Notably, B.E. cites none of the “many cases” that support its
`
`position. In fact, B.E.’s position contradicts the case law. See Starnes Family Office, 765 F.
`
`Supp. at 1047 (for the purposes of Rule 12(f), a “defense is insufficient ‘if as a matter of law, the
`
`defense cannot succeed under any circumstances.’”) (emphasis added); see also McKinnie v.
`
`Lundell Mfg. Co., Inc., 825 F. Supp. 834, 835 (W.D. Tenn. 1993) (“An affirmative defense is
`
`insufficient if, as a matter of law, the defense cannot succeed under any circumstances.”) (citing
`
`Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp., 201 F.2d at 822).
`
`
`
`6
`
`

`
`Case 2:12-cv-02782-JPM-cgc Document 44 Filed 07/25/13 Page 11 of 15 PageID 444
`
`
`
`
`B.E., likewise, offers no support for its argument that Rule 12(h)(2) requires a defendant
`
`to state the facts of a defense rather than simply to assert a defense. Once again, B.E.’s position
`
`contradicts the case law. Rule 12(h)(2) provides a means for challenging the legal sufficiency of
`
`a defense, not the factual sufficiency. See, e.g., Hughes v. Lavender, No. 2:10-cv-674, 2011 WL
`
`2945843 at *2 (Rule 12(h)(2) provides a party the “right to challenge [the] legal sufficiency of
`
`affirmative defense[s] at any time”). Accordingly, neither Rule 12(f) nor Rule 12(h)(2) provides
`
`any basis for this Court to abandon the fair notice standard and impose a heightened pleading
`
`standard for affirmative defenses.
`
`
`
`C.
`
`Pandora Adequately Pled Its Affirmative Defenses
`
`In light of these considerations, each of Pandora’s affirmative defenses is adequately pled
`
`under Rule 8(c) for the reasons set forth below, and thus B.E.’s Motion to Strike should be
`
`denied.
`
`1.
`
`Failure to State a Claim
`
`Referring to Pandora’s First Affirmative Defense, B.E. asserts that “Pandora’s One-
`
`Sentence Unenforceability Affirmative Defense Does Not Withstand a Rule 12(b)(6) Challenge.”
`
`Dkt. 31-1 at 12. This assertion is nonsensical for two reasons: 1) Pandora has not pled an
`
`unenforceability affirmative defense, and 2) Pandora’s affirmative defense pleadings must
`
`withstand a Rule 12(f) challenge, not a rule 12(b)(6) challenge.
`
`Pandora’s First Affirmative Defense states that “[t]he Complaint fails to state a claim
`
`upon which relief may be granted.” Dkt. 20 at 6. To the extent BE takes issue with this defense,
`
`Pandora’s statement comports with Form 30 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. “The forms
`
`in the Appendix [of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure] suffice under these rules and illustrate
`
`the simplicity and brevity that these rules contemplate.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 84. Further, Form 30
`
`
`
`7
`
`

`
`Case 2:12-cv-02782-JPM-cgc Document 44 Filed 07/25/13 Page 12 of 15 PageID 445
`
`
`satisfies the pleading requirements of Rule 8. Thus, Pandora’s statement provides “fair notice.”
`
`See Kilgore-Wilson, 2012 WL 4062663, at *2 (holding that a defense stating only that “Plaintiff
`
`fails to state a claim against these Defendants upon which relief may be granted” provides “fair
`
`notice” in satisfaction of Rules 8 and 12). Therefore, Pandora has sufficiently pled its First
`
`Affirmative Defense and B.E.’s Motion should be denied.
`
`2.
`
`Non-infringement
`
`Pandora’s Second Affirmative Defense states that it “has not infringed and is not
`
`infringing, any valid claim of the ‘314 patent.” Dkt. 20 at 7. B.E. asserts that this defense is
`
`“insufficient and does not even constitute an affirmative defense.” Dkt. 31-1 at 11. In fact,
`
`Pandora’s Affirmative Defense provides enough specificity to state a non-infringement defense
`
`under Rule 8(c). See, e.g., Avocent Redmond Corp. v. U.S., 85 Fed. Cl. 724, 725 (Ct. Fed. Cl.
`
`2009) (finding affirmative defense of non-infringement sufficient where it stated “[n]either the
`
`accused products nor Rose have infringed or infringe any of the asserted claims of the patents-in-
`
`suit, either directly, indirectly, literally, or under the doctrine of equivalents”).
`
`Remarkably, B.E. demands that Pandora provide greater specificity in its non-
`
`infringement defense than B.E. provided in its complaint alleging infringement. B.E.’s
`
`complaint offers little more than the general and conclusory allegation that “Pandora has
`
`infringed the ‘314 patent by using a method of providing demographically targeted advertising
`
`that directly infringes at least Claim 11 of the ‘314 patent either literally or under the doctrine of
`
`equivalents.” Dkt. 1 at 3. The complaint alleges no details regarding the accused Pandora
`
`service or asserted patent claims, yet B.E. argues that Pandora should be required to provide
`
`more details in its affirmative defenses in this early stage in the proceedings. Such a requirement
`
`would be illogical and inequitable. See Graphic Packaging Int’l., Inc. v. C.W. Zumbiel Co., 2011
`
`
`
`8
`
`

`
`Case 2:12-cv-02782-JPM-cgc Document 44 Filed 07/25/13 Page 13 of 15 PageID 446
`
`
`WL 5829674, at *4 (N.D. Ga. Aug. 01, 2011) (“To require [defendant] to meet a higher pleading
`
`standard on its… affirmative defenses than [plaintiff] must meet in pleading its infringement
`
`claims would be illogical and inequitable.”). Pandora has provided fair notice of its non-
`
`infringement defense.
`
`Furthermore, contrary to BE’s argument, the Federal Circuit has explicitly stated that
`
`non-infringement is an affirmative defense to infringement. Monsanto Co. v. Scruggs, 459 F.3d
`
`1328, 1334 (Fed. Cir. 2006) (“Affirmative defenses to infringement include noninfringement,
`
`unenforceability, invalidity . . . patent misuse, . . . and the existence of an implied license”). The
`
`patent statute specifies that non-infringement is a defense that “shall be pleaded.” See 35 U.S.C.
`
`§ 282 (“(b) Defenses. The following shall be defenses in any action involving the validity or
`
`infringement of a patent and shall be pleaded: (1) Noninfringement. . . .”) (emphasis added).
`
`Therefore, Pandora’s Second Affirmative Defense is properly pled under Rule 8(c), and B.E.’s
`
`Motion should be denied.
`
`3.
`
`Invalidity
`
`Pandora’s Third Affirmative Defense states that “[e]ach of the claims of the ‘314 patent
`
`
`
`is invalid for failing to comply with the conditions of patentability set forth in the patent laws of
`
`the United States, 35 U.S.C. § 1, et. seq., including without limitation, at least 35 U.S.C. §§ 102,
`
`103, and/or 112.” Dkt. 20 at 7. This short and plain statement of Pandora’s invalidity defense
`
`complies with pleading requirements and provides fair notice of the grounds on which the
`
`defense is based, such that B.E. will not suffer any prejudice. See, e.g., Paducah River Painting,
`
`Inc. v. McNational Inc., 2011 WL 5525938, at *4 (W.D. Ky. Nov. 14, 2011) (denying motion to
`
`strike defense that patent is invalid “under one or more of the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §§102,
`
`103, and/or 112”); Graphic Packaging, 2011 WL 5829674, at *3 (“invalidity counterclaims and
`
`
`
`9
`
`

`
`Case 2:12-cv-02782-JPM-cgc Document 44 Filed 07/25/13 Page 14 of 15 PageID 447
`
`
`affirmative defenses that allege only their statutory bases are adequate to survive a Rule 12
`
`motion challenging the sufficiency of the pleadings.”); Tyco Fire Prods. LP, 777 F. Supp. 2d at
`
`903 (denying motion to strike affirmative defense that Plaintiff’s patents were “invalid and/or
`
`unenforceable for failure to comply with the conditions of patentability specified in Title 35 of
`
`the United States Code, including, without limitation, at least §§ 101, 102, 103 and 112”). Thus,
`
`B.E.’s Motion to Strike this defense should be denied.
`
`III. CONCLUSION
`
`For the foregoing reasons, B.E.’s Motion should be denied in its entirety. Alternatively,
`
`and to the extent the Court grants B.E.’s Motion, Pandora requests leave to amend its Answer to
`
`supplement any affirmative defenses found to be insufficiently pled.
`
`Respectfully submitted,
`
`/s/ Glen G. Reid, Jr.
`Glen G. Reid, Jr. (#8184)
`Mark Vorder-Bruegge, Jr. (#06389)
`WYATT, TARRANT & COMBS, LLP
`1715 Aaron Brenner Drive, Suite 800
`Memphis, TN 38120-4367
`Phone: 901.537.1000
`Facsimile: 901.537.1010
`greid@wyattfirm.com
`mvorder-bruegge@wyattfirm.com
`
`BANNER & WITCOFF, LTD.
`J. Pieter van Es
`Matthew P. Becker
`Azuka C. Dike
`Dargaye H. Churnet
`Ten S. Wacker Dr. Ste. 3000
`Chicago, IL 60606
`(312) 463-5000
`pvanes@bannerwitcoff.com
`mbecker@bannerwitcoff.com
`adike@bannerwitcoff.com
`
`
`
`10
`
`

`
`Case 2:12-cv-02782-JPM-cgc Document 44 Filed 07/25/13 Page 15 of 15 PageID 448
`
`
`dchurnet@bannerwitcoff.com
`Attorneys for Defendant
`
`CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
`
`The foregoing document was filed under the Court’s CM/ECF system, automatically
`
`
`
`
`
`effecting service on counsel of record for all other parties who have appeared in this action on
`
`the date of such service.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`/s/ Glen G. Reid, Jr.
`Glen G. Reid, Jr.
`
`
`
`
`
`60421157.1
`
`
`
`11

This document is available on Docket Alarm but you must sign up to view it.


Or .

Accessing this document will incur an additional charge of $.

After purchase, you can access this document again without charge.

Accept $ Charge
throbber

Still Working On It

This document is taking longer than usual to download. This can happen if we need to contact the court directly to obtain the document and their servers are running slowly.

Give it another minute or two to complete, and then try the refresh button.

throbber

A few More Minutes ... Still Working

It can take up to 5 minutes for us to download a document if the court servers are running slowly.

Thank you for your continued patience.

This document could not be displayed.

We could not find this document within its docket. Please go back to the docket page and check the link. If that does not work, go back to the docket and refresh it to pull the newest information.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

You need a Paid Account to view this document. Click here to change your account type.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

Set your membership status to view this document.

With a Docket Alarm membership, you'll get a whole lot more, including:

  • Up-to-date information for this case.
  • Email alerts whenever there is an update.
  • Full text search for other cases.
  • Get email alerts whenever a new case matches your search.

Become a Member

One Moment Please

The filing “” is large (MB) and is being downloaded.

Please refresh this page in a few minutes to see if the filing has been downloaded. The filing will also be emailed to you when the download completes.

Your document is on its way!

If you do not receive the document in five minutes, contact support at support@docketalarm.com.

Sealed Document

We are unable to display this document, it may be under a court ordered seal.

If you have proper credentials to access the file, you may proceed directly to the court's system using your government issued username and password.


Access Government Site

We are redirecting you
to a mobile optimized page.





Document Unreadable or Corrupt

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket

We are unable to display this document.

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket