Jury finds Astroturf Guilty of Violating FieldTurf Patent
Awards damages of at least $30 million for willful patent infringement.
FieldTurf, a Tarkett Sports company and a global market leader in artificial turf, announces that on October 9th it was awarded $30 million in damages in its patent infringement case against AstroTurf, LLC.
The case was filed in June of 2010 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. After a month long trial, the jury found AstroTurf infringed FieldTurf U.S. Patent No. 6,723,412. The jury determined AstroTurf’s infringement was “willful,” which allows for a trebling of damages. The jury also ruled in FieldTurf’s favor on AstroTurf’s counterclaim.
“We are grateful for the jury’s efforts and their attention to the evidence. While litigation was a last resort, the process confirmed the validity of our ‘412 patent’ and the significant damages awarded confirm the importance of this technology in delivering innovative artificial turf systems that provide optimum playability and safety” said Eric Daliere, President of Tarkett Sports. “This victory reinforces our commitment to protect our intellectual property and innovation,” added Marie-France Nantel, Tarkett Sports General Counsel.
Additional issues remain for the court to rule upon that could impact the amount of the award, and any final ruling and award in the case is subject to appeal.
FieldTurf was represented by Winston & Strawn LLP in this matter.
