Stryker, Halo to get second chance at enhanced patent damages

By Andrew Chung NEW YORK (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday said federal judges should have more discretion to boost penalties in patent infringement cases and ordered an appeals court to review whether Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc willfully violated Stryker Corp patents on a surgical cleaning wand. In a unanimous opinion, the high court also ordered the appeals court in a separate case to review whether Pulse Electronics Corp willfully infringed Halo Electronics Inc’s patents. The justices said a test for determining willful infringement, which can allow judges to triple damages awarded to a patent owner, was too rigid and allowed some egregious infringers to escape liability.

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Stryker, Halo to get second chance at enhanced patent damages