Remember eBay Inc. v. MercExchange LLC, 126 S. Ct. 1837 (2006), in which the Court disapproved the routine granting of permanent injunctions to prevent patent infringement unless the infringer shows exceptional circumstances? The Federal Circuit does. Today it affirmed a judgment of willful infringement but vacated the district court’s permanent injunction because the court used the pre-eBay standard. Acumed LLC v. Stryker Corp., Nos. 06-260 & 06-437 (Fed. Cir. Apr. 12, 2007) (involving patent on orthopedic nail for funny bone).
As Blawgletter likes to say — Katie, bar the door.
Barry Barnett
