In the long running patent infringement saga in which Loral Space & Communications Inc and specifically its subisidiary Space Systems Loral had been found guilty of breech of contract and violating the patents of Viasat Inc in respect of technology aboard Viasat-1, a subsequent court has found the size of the original jury’s damages award equating to US$283 million following the verdict had resulted in a “miscarriage of justice”.
A new trial has been ordered to reset the amount of the damages award. The new jury trial is tentatively scheduled to proceed in November 2014. The court deferred until later in August, the argument on ViaSat’s motion seeking an injunction to prevent the manufacture and sale by Space Systems/Loral (since sold to MDA) of additional satellites that infringe ViaSat’s patents.
“We are pleased with the court’s decision, as it is an important first step in rectifying the injustice resulting from the April 2014 trial,” said Michael B. Targoff, Vice Chairman of Loral in a press release. “Not only do we believe that the jury’s damages award was excessive, but we contnue to believe that we have strong grounds for challenging the jury’s liability findings on appeal.”
