throbber
Case 2:17-cv-00513-JRG Document 336 Filed 01/30/19 Page 1 of 24 PageID #: 20554
`
`
`
`IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
`FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
`MARSHALL DIVISION
`
`Civil Action No. 2:17-CV-513-JRG
`(LEAD CASE)
`
`
`
`Civil Action No. 2:17-CV-516-JRG
`(CONSOLIDATED CASE)
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`§§§§§§§§§
`
`§§§§§§§§§§
`
`AGIS SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT LLC,
`
` Plaintiff,
`
`v.
`
`HUAWEI DEVICE USA INC., et al.,
`
` Defendants.
`
`
`AGIS SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT LLC,
`
` Plaintiff,
`
`v.
`
`APPLE INC.,
`
` Defendant.
`
`
`APPLE INC.’S OPPOSITION TO AGIS SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT LLC’S
`MOTIONS IN LIMINE NOS. 1-12 (DKT. NO. 293)
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`Case 2:17-cv-00513-JRG Document 336 Filed 01/30/19 Page 2 of 24 PageID #: 20555
`
`
`
`I. 
`
`II. 
`
`III. 
`
`IV. 
`
`V. 
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`
`
`Page
`
`AGIS’S MIL NO. 1 TO PRECLUDE APPLE FROM INTRODUCING
`TESTIMONY OR EVIDENCE RELATED TO AGIS’S FINANCES ...............................1 
`
`AGIS’S MIL NO. 2 TO PRECLUDE THE USE OF DEROGATORY,
`DISPARAGING, AND/OR PEJORATIVE REFERENCES ABOUT NON-
`PRACTICING ENTITIES INCLUDING AGIS SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT
`LLC AND AGIS, INC. ........................................................................................................2 
`
`AGIS’S MIL NO. 3 TO PRECLUDE DISPARAGING THE UNITED STATES
`PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE ...........................................................................4 
`
`AGIS’S MIL NO. 4 TO PRECLUDE APPLE FROM REFERENCING
`PENDING INTER PARTES REVIEW PROCEEDINGS OR SUCCESS RATES
`OF SUCH PROCEEDINGS ................................................................................................5 
`
`AGIS’S MIL NO. 5 TO PRECLUDE APPLE FROM INTRODUCING
`EVIDENCE OR TESTIMONY REGARDING UNRELATED LITIGATION
`INCLUDING VERDICTS ...................................................................................................6 
`
`A. 
`
`B. 
`
`The Life360 Case Is Relevant ..................................................................................6 
`
`Evidence Regarding The Life360 Case Is Not Unfairly Prejudicial ........................8 
`
`VI. 
`
`AGIS’S MIL NO. 6 TO PRECLUDE APPLE FROM INTRODUCING
`TESTIMONY, EVIDENCE, OR ARGUMENT RELATED TO LITIGATION
`FUNDING............................................................................................................................9 
`
`VII.  AGIS’S MIL NO. 7 TO PRECLUDE APPLE FROM INTRODUCING
`TESTIMONY, EVIDENCE, OR ARGUMENT RELATED TO POTENTIAL
`TARGETS FOR LITIGATION .........................................................................................10 
`
`VIII.  AGIS’S MIL NO. 8 TO PRECLUDE APPLE FROM INTRODUCING
`TESTIMONY OR EVIDENCE RELATED TO AGIS’S INTELLECTUAL
`PROPERTY MONETIZATION OR LITIGATION EFFORTS UNRELATED TO
`THE CURRENT LAWSUIT .............................................................................................12 
`
`IX. 
`
`AGIS’S MIL NO. 9 TO PRECLUDE ANY REFERENCES, EVIDENCE,
`SUGGESTION, TESTIMONY OR ELICITATION OF ANY TESTIMONY BY
`APPLE COMPARING ANY ACCUSED PRODUCT TO ANY PURPORTED
`PRIOR ART DEVICE, A PRIOR ART PATENT, OR ANY OTHER PRIOR
`ART....................................................................................................................................13 
`
`X. 
`
`AGIS’S MIL NO. 10 TO PRECLUDE ANY REFERENCE, EVIDENCE,
`SUGGESTION, TESTIMONY, OR ELICITATION OF ANY TESTIMONY BY
`
`i
`
`

`

`Case 2:17-cv-00513-JRG Document 336 Filed 01/30/19 Page 3 of 24 PageID #: 20556
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS (cont’d)
`
`Page
`
`APPLE REGARDING AGIS’S ELECTION OF PATENT CLAIMS TO
`STREAMLINE THIS LITIGATION ................................................................................14 
`
`XI. 
`
`AGIS’S MIL NO. 11 TO PRECLUDE ANY REFERENCE, EVIDENCE,
`SUGGESTION, TESTIMONY, OR ELICITATION OF ANY TESTIMONY BY
`APPLE THAT PLAINTIFF ENGAGED IN “FORUM SHOPPING” OR
`“LITIGATION ABUSE,” OR THAT THIS DISTRICT IS A POPULAR VENUE
`FOR PATENT HOLDERS ................................................................................................14 
`
`XII.  AGIS’S MIL NO. 12 TO PRECLUDE APPLE FROM INTRODUCING
`EVIDENCE OF PRIOR ART NOT INCLUDED IN APPLE’S FINAL
`ELECTION OF PRIOR ART ............................................................................................15 
`
`
`
`
`
`ii
`
`

`

`Case 2:17-cv-00513-JRG Document 336 Filed 01/30/19 Page 4 of 24 PageID #: 20557
`
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
`
`
`
`Pages
`
`
`
`Cases 
`
`Advanced Ground Information Systems, Inc. v. Life360, Inc.,
`Case No. 9:14-cv-80651 (S.D. Fla.) ............................................................................... 6, 8
`
`Core Wireless Licensing S.A.R.L. v. LG Elecs., Inc.,
`No. 2:14-CV-911-JRG-RSP, 2016 WL 4718963 (E.D. Tex. July 12, 2016), report
`and recommendation adopted sub nom. Core Wireless Licensing S.A.R.L v. LG
`Elecs., Inc., No. 2:14-CV-911-JRG-RSP, 2016 WL 4719791 (E.D. Tex. Sept. 8,
`2016) ............................................................................................................................. 4, 13
`
`Datatreasury Corp. v. Wells Fargo & Co.,
`No. 2:06-CV-72 DF, 2010 WL 11468934 (E.D. Tex. Oct. 5, 2010) .................................. 9
`
`Droplets, Inc. v. Overstock.com, Inc.,
`No. 2:11-CV-401-JRG-RSP, 2014 WL 11515642 (E.D. Tex. Dec. 10, 2014)................. 14
`
`EVM Sys., LLC v. Rex Medical, L.P.,
`2015 WL 11089476 (E.D. Tex. June 10, 2015) .................................................................. 4
`
`Freeny v. Murphy Oil Corp.,
`No. 2:13-CV-791-RSP, 2015 WL 11108703 (E.D. Tex. May 29, 2015) ......................... 15
`
`Garcia v. United States,
`No. SA-04-CR-425(17)-OG, 2010 WL 11613981 (W.D. Tex. Oct. 7, 2010) .................. 12
`
`Georgia-Pac. Corp. v. U.S. Plywood Corp.,
`318 F. Supp. 1116 (S.D.N.Y. 1970), modified sub nom. Georgia-Pac. Corp. v.
`U.S. Plywood-Champion Papers, Inc., 446 F.2d 295 (2d Cir. 1971) ................... 1, 2, 3, 12
`
`Graham v. John Deere Co. of Kansas City,
`383 U.S. 1, 86 S. Ct. 684, 15 L. Ed. 2d 545 (1966) ...................................................... 2, 11
`
`Intellectual Ventures I LLC v. Symantec Corp.,
`No. 10-1067-LPS, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2841 (D. Del. Jan. 6, 2015) ............................ 3
`
`Iovate Health Scis., Inc. v. Bio-Engineered Supplements & Nutrition, Inc.,
`No. 9:07-CV-46, 2008 WL 11344916 (E.D. Tex. Aug. 29, 2008) ..................................... 3
`
`Mendenhall v. Cedarapids, Inc.,
`5 F.3d 1557 (Fed. Cir. 1993)........................................................................................... 8, 9
`
`Mobile Telecommunications Techs., LLC v. ZTE (USA) Inc.,
`No. 2:13-CV-946-JRG, 2016 WL 8260584 (E.D. Tex. July 22, 2016) .............................. 5
`
`iii
`
`

`

`Case 2:17-cv-00513-JRG Document 336 Filed 01/30/19 Page 5 of 24 PageID #: 20558
`
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES (cont’d)
`
`Pages
`
`Motile Optics, LLC v. SAVV Entm't Sys., Inc.,
`No. 6:15-CV-01118-RWS-JDL, 2017 WL 2901709 (E.D. Tex. Jan. 10,
`2017), report and recommendation adopted, No. 6:15-CV-01118RWS-JDL, 2017
`WL 2901715 (E.D. Tex. Feb. 1, 2017) ............................................................................. 11
`
`Nobelbiz, Inc. v. Glob. Connect,
`L.L.C., No. 6:12-CV-244-RWS, 2015 WL 11072170 (E.D. Tex. Sept. 2, 2015) ............ 15
`
`Parthenon Unified Memory Architecture LLC v. Apple Inc.,
`No. 2:15-CV-621-JRG-RSP, 2016 WL 7743510 (E.D. Tex. Sept. 21, 2016) .............. 5, 13
`
`Rembrandt Wireless Tech., LP v. Samsung Elecs. Co.,
`Case No. 2:14-cv-911-JRG-RSP, 2015 WL 627430 (E.D. Tex. Jan. 31, 2015) ........... 4, 15
`
`Respironics, Inc. v. Invacare Corp.,
`303 F. App’x 865 (Fed. Cir. 2008) ..................................................................................... 8
`
`Retractable Techs., Inc. v. Becton, Dickinson & Co.,
`653 F.3d 1296 (Fed. Cir. 2011)........................................................................................... 8
`
`Silver State Intellectual Techs., Inc. v. Garmin Int'l, Inc.,
`No. 2:11-CV-01578-GMN, 2015 WL 2152658 (D. Nev. May 7, 2015) ............................ 3
`
`Smartflash LLC v. Apple Inc.,
`No. 6:13-CV-447-JRG-KNM, 2015 WL 11089593 (E.D. Tex. Jan. 29, 2015) ............... 15
`
`Sprint Commc'ns Co., L.P. v. Time Warner Cable, Inc.,
`No. 2017-2247, 2018 WL 6266319 (Fed. Cir. Nov. 30, 2018) ...................................... 7, 9
`
`Stafford v. Lamorak Ins. Co.,
`No. 18-60160, 2018 WL 5099628 (5th Cir. Oct. 18, 2018) ........................................... 7, 8
`
`United States v. D.K.G. Appaloosas, Inc.,
`630 F. Supp. 1540 (E.D. Tex. 1986), aff'd, 829 F.2d 532 (5th Cir. 1987) ........................ 12
`
`United States v. Del Rosario,
`No. 12 CR 81 KBF, 2012 WL 1710923 (S.D.N.Y. May 11, 2012) ................................. 12
`
`United States v. Khoa Dang Hoang,
`737 F. App’x 136 (4th Cir. 2018) ..................................................................................... 12
`
`VirnetX Inc. v. Apple Inc.,
`No. 6:12-CV-855, 2016 WL 4063802 (E.D. Tex. July 29, 2016) ...................................... 9
`
`
`
`iv
`
`

`

`Case 2:17-cv-00513-JRG Document 336 Filed 01/30/19 Page 6 of 24 PageID #: 20559
`
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES (cont’d)
`
`Pages
`
`Rules 
`
`Fed. R. Evid. 403 ............................................................................................................................ 2
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`v
`
`

`

`Case 2:17-cv-00513-JRG Document 336 Filed 01/30/19 Page 7 of 24 PageID #: 20560
`
`
`
`Exhibit Number
`Ex. 1
`Ex. 2
`Ex. 3
`
`Ex. 4
`Ex. 5
`Ex. 6
`Ex. 7
`Ex. 8
`Ex. 9
`
`Ex. 10
`
`Ex. 11
`
`TABLE OF EXHIBITS
`
`Description
`Ratliff Damages Report Excerpts (“Ratliff Rep.”)
`Blackwell Dep. Tr. Excerpts (“Blackwell Dep. Tr.”)
`AGIS’s 3rd Supplemental Responses to Apple’s Second Set of
`Interrogatories
`Beyer Dep. Tr. Excerpts (“Beyer Dep. Tr.”)
`Meyer Damages Report Excerpts (“Meyer Rep.”)
`Clark Opening Report Excerpts (“Clark Openn. Rep.”)
`Clark Rebuttal Report Excerpts (“Clark Reb. Rep.”)
`AGIS’s Rebuttal Witness List
`Advanced Ground Information Systems, Inc. v. Life360, Inc. Day 1 Trial
`Transcript Excerpts
`AGIS’s 6th Supplemental Responses to Apple’s First Set of
`Interrogatories Excerpts
`AGIS Statement of Stipulated Facts (“Litigation Funding Stip.”)
`
`
`
`
`
`
`vi
`
`

`

`Case 2:17-cv-00513-JRG Document 336 Filed 01/30/19 Page 8 of 24 PageID #: 20561
`
`
`
`
`
`Defendant Apple Inc. (“Apple”) files its opposition to Plaintiff AGIS Software
`
`Development LLC’s (“AGIS”) motions in limine (Dkt. No. 293). For the reasons discussed below,
`
`Apple respectfully requests that the Court deny AGIS’s motions in limine to the extent opposed.1
`
`I.
`
`AGIS’s MIL No. 1 To Preclude Apple From Introducing Testimony Or Evidence
`Related To AGIS’s Finances
`
`Without citing any supporting case law, AGIS seeks to exclude as irrelevant all evidence
`
`regarding the finances of AGIS and its parent and sister companies, AGIS Holdings, Inc. and
`
`AGIS, Inc., respectively (referred to collectively as “AGIS”). AGIS primarily seeks to preclude
`
`Apple’s damages expert from considering AGIS’s financial state during the hypothetical
`
`negotiation. AGIS’s motion should be denied for two reasons.
`
`First, evidence regarding AGIS’s finances is relevant to damages—including at least
`
`Georgia-Pacific factors 1 and 12. For example, AGIS’s financial state—and, relatedly, the
`
`comparative bargaining power of the parties—is relevant because it demonstrates what AGIS
`
`would have been willing to accept during the hypothetical negotiation.2 Georgia-Pac. Corp. v.
`
`U.S. Plywood Corp., 318 F. Supp. 1116, 1121 (S.D.N.Y. 1970), modified sub nom. Georgia-Pac.
`
`Corp. v. U.S. Plywood-Champion Papers, Inc., 446 F.2d 295 (2d Cir. 1971) (outcome of the
`
`hypothetical negotiation would “depend upon such factors as their relative bargaining strength”).
`
`As another example, valuations of AGIS reflect the value of the asserted patents—particularly
`
`where, as here,
`
`
`
`
`1 For each category of evidence that AGIS seeks to exclude, Apple should be permitted to introduce
`such evidence or testimony for impeachment to the extent AGIS opens the door by taking
`inconsistent positions at trial.
`
` The hypothetical negotiation would have taken place in 2012 between AGIS, Inc. and Apple
`(before AGIS Software Development LLC was created). Ex. 1 [Ratliff Rep.] ¶ 45, n. 78.
`
`
` 2
`
`
`
`

`

`Case 2:17-cv-00513-JRG Document 336 Filed 01/30/19 Page 9 of 24 PageID #: 20562
`
`
`
`
`
` As yet another example, AGIS’s finances are relevant to the alleged success or failure
`
`of AGIS, Inc.’s only product, LifeRing (and its derivatives), which AGIS contends practices the
`
`asserted patents.
`
`
`
`
`
` Georgia-Pac. Corp. v. U.S. Plywood
`
`Corp., 318 F. Supp. 1116, 1121 (S.D.N.Y. 1970), modified sub nom. Georgia-Pac. Corp. v. U.S.
`
`Plywood-Champion Papers, Inc., 446 F.2d 295 (2d Cir. 1971) (outcome of the hypothetical
`
`negotiation would “depend upon such factors as . . . the commercial past performance of the
`
`invention in terms of public acceptance and profits”). Thus, the parties should be permitted to
`
`discuss AGIS’s finances as part of the damages analysis.
`
`Second, AGIS’s finances—particularly the revenues and profits related to LifeRing—are
`
`relevant to invalidity because they demonstrate indicia of obviousness. AGIS contends that
`
`LifeRing practices the asserted patents. Therefore, the commercial success or failure of LifeRing
`
`reflects the commercial success or failure of the alleged inventions. Graham v. John Deere Co. of
`
`Kansas City, 383 U.S. 1, 17–18, 86 S. Ct. 684, 694, 15 L. Ed. 2d 545 (1966) (“Such secondary
`
`considerations as commercial success, long felt but unsolved needs, failure of others, etc., might
`
`be utilized to give light to the circumstances surrounding the origin of the subject matter sought to
`
`be patented. As indicia of obviousness or nonobviousness, these inquiries may have relevancy.”).3
`
`II.
`
`AGIS’s MIL No. 2 To Preclude The Use Of Derogatory, Disparaging, And/Or
`Pejorative References About Non-Practicing Entities Including AGIS Software
`Development LLC And AGIS, Inc.
`
`Apple does not oppose AGIS’s motion insofar as it seeks to exclude the following terms:
`
`
`3 Aside from the conclusory recitation of the standard for exclusion under Federal Rule of Evidence
`403, AGIS fails to explain how the probative value of its finances (including the finances of AGIS,
`Inc.) are substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice. Fed. R. Evid. 403.
`2
`
`
`
`

`

`Case 2:17-cv-00513-JRG Document 336 Filed 01/30/19 Page 10 of 24 PageID #: 20563
`
`
`
`
`(1) “patent troll”; (2) “pirate”; (3) “patent assertion entity”; (4) “non-practicing entity”; (5) “NPE”;
`
`(6) “shell corporation”; (7) “privateer”; (8) “bounty hunter”; (9) “bandit”; (10) “paper patent”; (11)
`
`“stick up”; (12) “shakedown”; (13) “playing the lawsuit lottery”; (14) “corporate shell game”; (15)
`
`“toll collector”; (16) “litigious”; and their equivalents. But Apple opposes the motion to the extent
`
`it seeks to exclude purely factual descriptions about AGIS and its business.
`
` In addition, AGIS concedes
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Courts have found that facts related to a party’s products and business model are relevant
`
`at least to damages. See Georgia-Pacific Corp. v. United States Plywood Corp., 318 F. Supp. 1116
`
`(S.D.N.Y. 1970), mod. and aff’d, 446 F.2d 295 (2d Cir. 1971), cert. denied, 404 U.S. 870 (1971);
`
`see also Iovate Health Scis., Inc. v. Bio-Engineered Supplements & Nutrition, Inc., No. 9:07-CV-
`
`46, 2008 WL 11344916, at *2 (E.D. Tex. Aug. 29, 2008) (whether the parties are competitors
`
`“potentially changes how much a willing licensor would have paid for a license on the patents-in-
`
`suit under the Georgia-Pacific factors”); Silver State Intellectual Techs., Inc. v. Garmin Int'l, Inc.,
`
`No. 2:11-CV-01578-GMN, 2015 WL 2152658, at *2 (D. Nev. May 7, 2015) (“[T]he Court finds
`
`that describing [Plaintiff] as ‘a company that doesn't make anything,’ or ‘a company that doesn't
`
`sell anything’ is a true and correct description of [Plaintiff's] business model and is relevant to the
`
`issues of damages”); Intellectual Ventures I LLC v. Symantec Corp., No. 10-1067-LPS, 2015 U.S.
`
`Dist. LEXIS 2841, at *3 (D. Del. Jan. 6, 2015) (“[Defendant] is permitted to present argument and
`
`evidence that [Plaintiff] does not practice the patents-in-suit, which is relevant to damages — and
`
`with respect to damages, the concerns of Federal Rule of Evidence 403 (‘Rule 403’) do not
`
`
`
`3
`
`

`

`Case 2:17-cv-00513-JRG Document 336 Filed 01/30/19 Page 11 of 24 PageID #: 20564
`
`
`
`
`substantially outweigh the probative value of this evidence.”).
`
`Courts have routinely drawn a distinction between excluding “derogatory, disparaging,
`
`and/or pejorative references” while allowing “factual statements, including the structure of
`
`[Plaintiff’s] business model.” EVM Sys., LLC v. Rex Medical, L.P., 2015 WL 11089476, *2 (E.D.
`
`Tex. June 10, 2015). For example, this Court has excluded terms like “patent troll,” “troll,”
`
`“patent pirate,” and “shell company,” while permitting factual statements like “company that
`
`doesn't make anything.” Core Wireless Licensing S.A.R.L. v. LG Elecs., Inc., No. 2:14-CV-911-
`
`JRG-RSP, 2016 WL 4718963, at *2 (E.D. Tex. July 12, 2016), report and recommendation
`
`adopted sub nom. Core Wireless Licensing S.A.R.L v. LG Elecs., Inc., No. 2:14-CV-911-JRG-RSP,
`
`2016 WL 4719791 (E.D. Tex. Sept. 8, 2016). In fact, the only case that AGIS cites to support
`
`excluding statements like “company that doesn’t make anything” and “company that doesn’t sell
`
`anything” specifically allowed Defendant to argue “that Plaintiff is a patent assertion entity that
`
`does not manufacture or sell products in this field” and that “Plaintiff [is] an entity that licenses
`
`and litigates.” Rembrandt Wireless Tech., LP v. Samsung Elecs. Co., Case No. 2:14-cv-911-JRG-
`
`RSP, 2015 WL 627430, *1 (E.D. Tex. Jan. 31, 2015).4
`
`III. AGIS’s MIL No. 3 To Preclude Disparaging The United States Patent And
`Trademark Office (“USPTO”)
`
`Apple agrees that the parties should not disparage the USPTO or its examiners. But Apple
`
`should be permitted to introduce evidence and argument consistent with the instructional video
`
`that the Court routinely shows to jurors. For example, Apple should be allowed to argue that: (1)
`
`“there may be facts or arguments that the examiner did not consider, such as prior art that was not
`
`
`4 Granting AGIS’s motion in full will also introduce significant uncertainty into the trial
`proceedings and will create the potential for interruptions any time the parties discuss the business
`of AGIS or AGIS, Inc.
`
`
`
`4
`
`

`

`Case 2:17-cv-00513-JRG Document 336 Filed 01/30/19 Page 12 of 24 PageID #: 20565
`
`
`
`
`located by the PTO or provided by the applicant,” including introducing evidence that a particular
`
`prior art reference was not considered during prosecution of an asserted patent; (2) “there is, of
`
`course, the possibility that mistakes were made or important information overlooked” during
`
`prosecution of the patents; (3) “[e]xaminers have a lot of work to do, and no process is perfect”;
`
`(4) “unlike a court proceeding, prosecution of a patent application takes place without input from
`
`people who might later be accused of infringement, so it is important that we provide a chance for
`
`someone who is accused of infringement to challenge the patent in court”; and (5) similar
`
`statements. See Federal Judicial Center Video, The Patent Process: An Overview For Jurors (Jan.
`
`2013), https://www.fjc.gov/publications/patent-process-overview-jurors.
`
`Such statements are central to an invalidity defense. Parties should be allowed to argue
`
`that for one of the above-listed reasons, the USPTO mistakenly granted the patents-in-suit and the
`
`jury should correct that mistake. If such statements were improper, defendants would not be able
`
`to persuasively argue invalidity (and courts would not show the Federal Judicial Center’s video to
`
`the jury). Accordingly, such statements should not be excluded. See, e.g., Parthenon Unified
`
`Memory Architecture LLC v. Apple Inc., No. 2:15-CV-621-JRG-RSP, 2016 WL 7743510, at *1
`
`(E.D. Tex. Sept. 21, 2016) (allowing the defendant to “mak[e] generalizations that the examiner
`
`was in error or on general matters regarding invalidity”).
`
`Furthermore, AGIS’s motion should be applied reciprocally. Therefore, the Court should
`
`similarly preclude any evidence or argument that bolsters the USPTO or its examiners. See, e.g.,
`
`Mobile Telecommunications Techs., LLC v. ZTE (USA) Inc., No. 2:13-CV-946-JRG, 2016 WL
`
`8260584, at *2 (E.D. Tex. July 22, 2016) (ordering that the parties shall not bolster the USPTO).
`
`IV. AGIS’s MIL No. 4 To Preclude Apple From Referencing Pending Inter Partes
`Review Proceedings Or Success Rates Of Such Proceedings
`
`Apple does not oppose AGIS’s motion as long as any exclusion is bilateral. Apple should
`
`
`
`5
`
`

`

`Case 2:17-cv-00513-JRG Document 336 Filed 01/30/19 Page 13 of 24 PageID #: 20566
`
`
`
`
`be permitted to use testimony or declarations from inter partes review (“IPR”) proceedings for
`
`impeachment purposes, but agrees not to identify the impeaching information as originating from
`
`an IPR proceeding. The Court should similarly preclude AGIS from referencing the pending IPR
`
`proceedings or the success rate of those proceedings.
`
`V.
`
`AGIS’s MIL No. 5 To Preclude Apple From Introducing Evidence Or Testimony
`Regarding Unrelated Litigation Including Verdicts
`
`AGIS seeks a blanket exclusion of any evidence or testimony regarding prior litigations.
`
`In particular, AGIS seeks to exclude as irrelevant and unfairly prejudicial any evidence or
`
`testimony regarding AGIS, Inc.’s prior litigation against Life360, Inc. Advanced Ground
`
`Information Systems, Inc. v. Life360, Inc., Case No. 9:14-cv-80651 (S.D. Fla.) (the “Life360
`
`case”).
`
`A.
`
`The Life360 Case Is Relevant
`
`The Life360 case shares many similarities with this case: (1) the Life360 case involved
`
`AGIS’s U.S. Patent No. 7,031,728 (“the ’728 Patent”), to which the asserted patents in this case
`
`purport to claim priority; (2)
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
` and (3) at least two of AGIS’s expected testifying witnesses in
`
`this case previously testified in the Life360 case. Compare Ex. 8 [AGIS’s Rebuttal Witness List,
`
`Jan. 7, 2019] at 1 with Ex. 9 [Advanced Ground Information Systems, Inc. v. Life360, Inc. Case
`
`No. 9:14-cv-80651, Dkt. No. 181 [Day 1 Trial Transcript]], at 97-134 (testimony of Malcolm K.
`
`Beyer, Jr.) and 134-179 (testimony of Sandel Blackwell). Accordingly, evidence regarding the
`
`Life360 case is relevant and admissible for at least three reasons.
`
`First, evidence and testimony from the Life360 case is admissible for impeachment to the
`
`
`
`6
`
`

`

`Case 2:17-cv-00513-JRG Document 336 Filed 01/30/19 Page 14 of 24 PageID #: 20567
`
`
`
`
`extent AGIS takes inconsistent positions regarding its patents, the LifeRing product, and/or the
`
`Life360 product. Stafford v. Lamorak Ins. Co., No. 18-60160, 2018 WL 5099628, at *3 (5th Cir.
`
`Oct. 18, 2018) (noting that the court below “did not impose a blanket ban on mentioning the second
`
`trial. It permitted the impeachment of Stafford based on any inconsistent statements made in the
`
`other litigation.”).
`
`Second, the Life360 case is relevant to damages because knowledge of the outcome of the
`
`Life360 case “would have influenced the outcome of a hypothetical negotiation.” See, e.g., Sprint
`
`Commc'ns Co., L.P. v. Time Warner Cable, Inc., No. 2017-2247, 2018 WL 6266319, at *2 (Fed.
`
`Cir. Nov. 30, 2018) (allowing evidence of prior verdict).5
`
`Third, the Life360 case is relevant to invalidity. During the Life360 case, AGIS, Inc.’s
`
`witnesses testified regarding the functionality and availability of AGIS’s LifeRing product. See,
`
`e.g., Ex. 9 [Advanced Ground Information Systems, Inc. v. Life360, Inc., Case No. 9:14-cv-80651,
`
`Dkt. No. 181 [Day 1 Trial Transcript]], at 114:20-115:6; 117:14-119:13; 141:23-146:22; 147:8-
`
`148:4; 159:13-22; 168:17-172:12. Apple contends that LifeRing invalidates certain claims of the
`
`asserted patents. Therefore, evidence and testimony regarding LifeRing from the Life360 case is
`
`relevant here. In addition, AGIS cites to its ’728 patent—which was asserted in the Life360 case—
`
`as purportedly providing written description support for each of the patents-in-suit.
`
`
`
`
`
` Therefore, evidence and testimony from the Life360 case regarding the ’728
`
`patent disclosure is relevant here.
`
`None of the cases AGIS cites support the broad exclusion that AGIS seeks. Instead, those
`
`
`5 AGIS’s damages expert concedes that the hypothetical negotiation would have involved Apple
`and AGIS, Inc., making information about AGIS, Inc. relevant to this case. Ex. 1 [Ratliff Rep.] ¶
`45, n. 78.
`
`
`
`7
`
`

`

`Case 2:17-cv-00513-JRG Document 336 Filed 01/30/19 Page 15 of 24 PageID #: 20568
`
`
`
`
`cases hold only that specific facts warrant exclusion of particular types of evidence. See, e.g.,
`
`Mendenhall v. Cedarapids, Inc., 5 F.3d 1557, 1574-75 (Fed. Cir. 1993) (finding no reversible error
`
`in excluding a prior judicial opinion that was expected to be used as fact evidence and that included
`
`“another judge’s statements on the law”); Respironics, Inc. v. Invacare Corp., 303 F. App’x 865,
`
`877 (Fed. Cir. 2008) (finding no reversible error in excluding prior noninfringement expert report
`
`where evidence had been introduced to show that the report did not address a “critical difference
`
`for purposes of infringement” present in the second litigation); Retractable Techs., Inc. v. Becton,
`
`Dickinson & Co., 653 F.3d 1296, 1307-08 (Fed. Cir. 2011) (finding no reversible error in excluding
`
`evidence that would raise the issue of a prior litigation where the appealing party had already
`
`sought to exclude references to the same litigation); Stafford v. Lamorak Ins. Co., No. 18-60160,
`
`2018 WL 5099628, at *3 (5th Cir. Oct. 18, 2018) (finding no reversible error in exclusion of
`
`evidence that Plaintiff had filed a previous litigation where there was a risk that the jury would be
`
`led “to improperly believe that [Plaintiff] would be well-compensated for his injuries regardless
`
`of its verdict.”). Thus, the broad exclusion sought by AGIS is improper and objections to evidence
`
`or testimony regarding prior litigations should be addressed as they arise.
`
`B.
`
`Evidence Regarding The Life360 Case Is Not Unfairly Prejudicial
`
`The only testimony or evidence from the Life360 case that AGIS specifically identifies as
`
`prejudicial is the jury verdict—which was adverse to AGIS and ultimately resulted in an award of
`
`attorneys’ fees to Life360. Dkt. No. 293 [AGIS MILs], at 8-9; Advanced Ground Info. Sys., Inc.
`
`v. Life360, Inc., No. 14-CV-80651, 2015 WL 11401854, at *2 (S.D. Fla. Dec. 1, 2015), aff'd, 681
`
`F. App’x 975 (Fed. Cir. 2017). But where the present case and a prior litigation include as many
`
`similarities as here—related patents, the same software applications, and the same witnesses—the
`
`relevance outweighs the danger of unfair prejudice so long as only the relevant facts are presented
`
`
`
`8
`
`

`

`Case 2:17-cv-00513-JRG Document 336 Filed 01/30/19 Page 16 of 24 PageID #: 20569
`
`
`
`
`to the jury to mitigate any potential prejudice. Sprint Commc'ns Co., L.P. v. Time Warner Cable,
`
`Inc., No. 2017-2247, 2018 WL 6266319, at *2 (Fed. Cir. Nov. 30, 2018) (finding that even
`
`evidence of a prior verdict is admissible if “it is relevant for some legitimate purpose”). Therefore,
`
`AGIS’s overly broad request to exclude all evidence regarding the Life360 case should be denied.
`
`The cases AGIS cites to support its claim of prejudice are distinguishable. For example,
`
`in VirnetX, the court initially allowed testimony regarding a prior litigation but later excluded such
`
`testimony after the parties went overboard by repeatedly referencing the prior litigation—over 50
`
`times—resulting in prejudice. VirnetX Inc. v. Apple Inc., No. 6:12-CV-855, 2016 WL 4063802, at
`
`*7 (E.D. Tex. July 29, 2016) (finding that the “more than 50 [references to the prior litigation],
`
`many of which were either redundant or gratuitous—tipped the balance towards unfairly
`
`prejudicing Apple.”). In Datatreasury, the Court excluded consent judgments—not all references
`
`to prior litigations—because the judgments were largely cumulative of evidence that had already
`
`been deemed admissible. Datatreasury Corp. v. Wells Fargo & Co., No. 2:06-CV-72 DF, 2010
`
`WL 11468934, at *18 (E.D. Tex. Oct. 5, 2010) (“Given the Court's finding that many of the
`
`litigation-related licenses are admissible, any additional probative value of the consent judgments
`
`is substantially outweighed by the dangers of unfair prejudice.”). And in Mendenhall, the court
`
`excluded a judicial opinion from a prior litigation because the court determined that the opinion
`
`was not proper factual evidence and because the opinion risked confusing the jury by exposing the
`
`jury to “another judge’s statements on the law.” Mendenhall v. Cedarapids, Inc., 5 F.3d 1557,
`
`1575 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
`
`VI. AGIS’s MIL No. 6 To Preclude Apple From Introducing Testimony, Evidence, Or
`Argument Related To Litigation Funding
`
`AGIS seeks to preclude Apple from introducing any evidence related to “litigation funding,
`
`fees incurred by either party, the retention or fee agreements of any party’s counsel in this case,
`
`
`
`9
`
`

`

`Case 2:17-cv-00513-JRG Document 336 Filed 01/30/19 Page 17 of 24 PageID #: 20570
`
`
`
`
`and any fees obtained or potentially obtained by counsel as a result of this case.” Dkt. No. 293 at
`
`10. Apple agrees to refrain from introducing such evidence with two exceptions.
`
`First, to the extent that AGIS attempts to gain the sympathy of the jury by implying that
`
`the relative size of the parties justifies a damages award,
`
`
`
` For example, if AGIS’s witnesses testify regarding any financial or other
`
`hardships related to AGIS’s size—or any issues tending to portray AGIS as an “underdog”—Apple
`
`should be permitted to introduce evidence
`
`
`
`
`
`Second, Apple should be permitted to introduce evidence of AGIS’s litigation funding to
`
`rebut AGIS’s request for a permanent injunction. To determine whether it is in the public’s interest
`
`to grant an injunction, the Court should consider who stands to benefit. Here, a permanent
`
`injunction is merely a pretext to extract an inflated settlement from Apple
`
`
`
`should be allowed to introduce
`
`
`
` Therefore, Apple
`
`
`
`VII. AGIS’s MIL No. 7 To Preclude Apple From Introducing Testimony, Evidence, Or
`Argument Related To Potential Targets For Litigation
`
`AGIS seeks to exclude testimony, evidence, and argument related to “potential targets for
`
`litigation” based on its conclusory claim that such information is irrelevant and “would mislead
`
`the jury into resolving this case based on factors other than the evidence and the law.” Dkt. No.
`
`
`6 In the sole case AGIS cites where the court excluded references to litigation funding, the plaintiff
`appears to have dropped its request for a permanent injunction well before trial, eliminating the
`need for the Court to consider the litigation funder in balancing the public interest. See SSL
`Services, LLC v. Citrix Systems, Inc., No. 2:08-cv-158-JRG, Dkt. No. 47 [Second Amended
`Complaint] at 10-11.
`
`
`
`10
`
`

`

`Case 2:17-cv-00513-JRG Document 336 Filed 01/30/19 Page 18 of 24 PageID #: 20571
`
`
`
`
`293 at 10-11. To the extent AGIS only seeks to exclude testimony regarding parties AGIS has
`
`internally considered suing for patent infringement but did not ultimately sue, Apple agrees not to
`
`introduce such evidence in this case. But Apple should be permitted to introduce evidence of (1)
`
`parties to whom AGIS has offered to license its patents (including but not limited to the patents-
`
`in-suit) and (2) parties whom AGIS has sued for patent infringement. Such testimony is relevant
`
`and is not unfairly prejudicial for four reasons.
`
`First, evidence of parties whom AGIS has sued or has offered to license its patents is
`
`relevant to damages. For example, AGIS’s willingness to license its patents shows that AGIS is a
`
`willing licensor, which the parties would have considered in a hypothetical negotiation under
`
`Georgia-Pacific factors 1, 4, and 12.
`
`Second, A

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