Free Motion to Consolidate Cases - District Court of California - California

Case 3:07-cv-02278-BTM-CAB

Document 27-2

Filed 04/09/2008

Page 1 of 11

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

J. MICHAEL KALER, SBN 158296 9930 Mesa Rim Road, Suite 200 San Diego, California 92121 Telephone (858) 362-3151 E-mail: [email protected] MELODY A. KRAMER, SBN 169984 9930 Mesa Rim Road, Suite 1600 San Diego, California 92121 Telephone (858) 362-3150 E-mail: [email protected] PATRICIA SHACKELFORD, SBN 218647 9930 Mesa Rim Road, Suite 450 San Diego, California 92121 Telephone (858) 362-3152 Attorneys for Plaintiff JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of SORENSEN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TRUST UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of SORENSEN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TRUST, Plaintiff v. ) ) ) ) ) ) THE BLACK & DECKER CORPORATION; ) BLACK & DECKER, INC.; BLACK & ) DECKER (US), INC.; PORTER-CABLE ) CORPORATION; VECTOR PRODUCTS, ) INC.; PHILLIPS PLASTICS CORPORATION; ) HI-TECH PLASTICS INC.; B&D HOLDINGS, ) LLC; AND DOES 1 THROUGH 1000, ) ) Defendants. ) ) ) JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of ) SORENSEN RESEARCH AND ) DEVELOPMENT TRUST, ) Plaintiff, ) v. ) Case Nos. 06-CV-1572 BTM (CAB) MEMORANDUM OF POINTS & AUTHORITIES IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFF'S MOTION TO CONSOLIDATE Date: May 30, 2008 Time: 11:00 a.m. Courtroom: 15, Fifth Floor Hon. Barry Ted Moskowitz NO ORAL ARGUMENTS UNLESS REQUESTED BY THE COURT

Case No. 07-CV-2121

Case 3:07-cv-02278-BTM-CAB

Document 27-2

Filed 04/09/2008

Page 2 of 11

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

GIANT INTERNATIONAL (USA) LTD., a Delaware corporation, and DOES 1-10, Defendants.

) ) ) ) and related counterclaims. ) ______________________________________ ) JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of ) SORENSEN RESEARCH AND ) DEVELOPMENT TRUST, ) ) Plaintiff, ) v. ) ) ESSEPLAST (USA) NC, INC., a Delaware ) corporation, and DOES 1-100, ) ) Defendants. ) and related counterclaims ) ) JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of ) SORENSEN RESEARCH AND ) DEVELOPMENT TRUST, ) ) Plaintiff, ) v. ) HELEN OF TROY TEXAS CORPORATION; ) ) OXO INTERNATIONAL LTD.; ) and DOES 1 ­ 100, ) ) Defendants. ) JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of ) SORENSEN RESEARCH AND ) DEVELOPMENT TRUST, ) ) Plaintiff, ) v. ) ) ENERGIZER HOLDINGS INC, a Missouri ) corporation; EVEREADY BATTERY ) COMPANY, INC.; and DOES 1 ­ 100, ) ) Defendants. ) ) and related counterclaims. ) JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of ) SORENSEN RESEARCH AND ) DEVELOPMENT TRUST, )

Case No. 07cv2277

Case No. 07cv2278

Case No. 07cv2321

Case No. 08cv0025

2.

Case No. 06-cv-1572 BTM CAB and others

Case 3:07-cv-02278-BTM-CAB

Document 27-2

Filed 04/09/2008

Page 3 of 11

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

) Plaintiff ) v. ) ) EMERSON ELECTRIC CO., a Missouri ) corporation; ONE WORLD TECHNOLOGIES, ) INC., a Delaware corporation; RIDGE TOOL ) COMPANY, an Ohio corporation; RIDGID, ) INC., a Delaware corporation; and ) DOES 1 ­ 100 ) Defendants. ) ) and related counterclaims ) ) Case No. 08cv0060 JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of ) SORENSEN RESEARCH AND ) DEVELOPMENT TRUST, ) ) Plaintiff ) v. ) ) RYOBI TECHNOLOGIES, INC., a Delaware ) corporation; TECHTRONIC INDUSTRIES ) NORTH AMERICA, INC., a Delaware ) corporation; and DOES 1 ­ 100, ) ) Defendants. ) Case No. 08cv0070 JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of ) SORENSEN RESEARCH AND ) DEVELOPMENT TRUST, ) ) Plaintiff ) v. ) ) SENCO PRODUCTS, INC., an Ohio ) corporation; and DOES 1 ­ 100, ) ) Defendants. ) ) JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of ) Case No. 08cv0134 SORENSEN RESEARCH AND ) DEVELOPMENT TRUST, ) ) Plaintiff ) v. ) ) INFORMATICS, INC., a Texas Corporation; ) INFORMATICS HOLDINGS, INC., a Delaware ) Corporation; DATALOGIC SCANNING, INC.,

3.

Case No. 06-cv-1572 BTM CAB and others

Case 3:07-cv-02278-BTM-CAB

Document 27-2

Filed 04/09/2008

Page 4 of 11

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

) ) ) ) ) Defendants. ) ) JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of ) SORENSEN RESEARCH AND ) DEVELOPMENT TRUST, ) ) Plaintiff ) v. ) SANYO NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION, ) ) a Delaware Corporation; and DOES 1 ­ 100, ) ) Defendants. ) JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of ) SORENSEN RESEARCH AND ) DEVELOPMENT TRUST, ) ) Plaintiff ) v. ) ) MOTOROLA, INC., a Delaware Corporation; ) and DOES 1 ­ 100, ) ) Defendants. ) JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of ) SORENSEN RESEARCH AND ) DEVELOPMENT TRUST, ) ) Plaintiff ) v. ) ) CTT TOOLS, INC., a California Corporation; ) and DOES 1 ­ 100, ) ) Defendants. ) JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of ) SORENSEN RESEARCH AND ) DEVELOPMENT TRUST, ) ) Plaintiff ) v. ) ) ALLTRADE TOOLS, LLC., a California ) Corporation; and DOES 1 ­ 100,

Corporation; DATALOGIC SCANNING, INC., a Delaware Corporation; DATALOGIC SCANNING HOLDINGS, INC., a New York Corporation.

Case No. 08cv0135

Case No. 08cv0136

Case No. 08cv0231

Case No. 08cv0232

4.

Case No. 06-cv-1572 BTM CAB and others

Case 3:07-cv-02278-BTM-CAB

Document 27-2

Filed 04/09/2008

Page 5 of 11

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Corporation; and DOES 1 ­ 100, Defendants. JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of SORENSEN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TRUST, Plaintiff v. GLOBAL MACHINERY COMPANY, an Australian company; GMCA PTY. LTD., an Australian company; TRAPONE CORPORATION PTY. LTD., an Australian company; and DOES 1 ­ 100, JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of SORENSEN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TRUST, Plaintiff v. EMISSIVE ENERGY CORP., a Delaware Corporation; and DOES 1 ­ 100, Defendants. JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of SORENSEN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TRUST, Plaintiff v. METABO CORPORATION, a Delaware Corporation; METABOWERKE GMBH, a German Corporation; and DOES 1 ­ 100, Defendants. JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of SORENSEN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TRUST, Plaintiff v. RALLY MANUFACTURING, INC., a Florida Corporation; and DOES 1 ­ 100,

) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )

Case No. 08cv0233

Case No. 08cv0234

Case No. 08cv0304

Case No. 08cv0305

5.

Case No. 06-cv-1572 BTM CAB and others

Case 3:07-cv-02278-BTM-CAB

Document 27-2

Filed 04/09/2008

Page 6 of 11

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Corporation; and DOES 1 ­ 100, Defendants. JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of SORENSEN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TRUST, Plaintiff v. SUNBEAM PRODUCTS, INC., a Delaware Corporation; and DOES 1 ­ 100, Defendants. JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of SORENSEN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TRUST, Plaintiff v. STAR ASIA, U.S.A., LLC, a Washington Corporation; and DOES 1 ­ 100, Defendants. JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of SORENSEN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TRUST, Plaintiff v. LOGITECH INC., a California Corporation; and DOES 1 ­ 100, Defendants. JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of SORENSEN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TRUST, Plaintiff v. CENTRAL PURCHASING, LLC, a California Corporation; and DOES 1 ­ 100,

) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )

Case No. 08cv0306

Case No. 08cv0307

Case No. 08cv0308

Case No. 08cv0309

6.

Case No. 06-cv-1572 BTM CAB and others

Case 3:07-cv-02278-BTM-CAB

Document 27-2

Filed 04/09/2008

Page 7 of 11

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Defendants. JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of SORENSEN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TRUST, Plaintiff v. KYOCERA INTERNATIONAL, INC., a California Corporation; KYOCERA WIRELESS CORP., a California Corporation; and DOES 1 ­ 100, Defendants. JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of SORENSEN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TRUST, Plaintiff v. DMS HOLDINGS, INC. d.b.a. MABIS HEALTHCARE and DURO-MED INDUSTRIES, a a Delaware Corporation; and DOES 1 ­ 100, Defendants.

) ) ) Case No. 08cv0411 ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) Case No. 08cv0559 ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )

INTRODUCTION The 23 patent infringement cases identified below were filed by Plaintiff Jens Erik Sorensen, Trustee of Sorensen Research And Development Trust ("Sorensen") seeking redress for infringement of U.S. Patent No. 4,935,184 ("'184 patent"). All are currently pending in this District and all have been assigned to District Judge Barry T. Moskowitz. Sorensen seeks to consolidate these related cases pursuant to Rule 42(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure because these cases have overlapping questions of
7.
Case No. 06-cv-1572 BTM CAB and others

Case 3:07-cv-02278-BTM-CAB

Document 27-2

Filed 04/09/2008

Page 8 of 11

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

law and fact. Specifically, all of the cases allege infringement of the same patent and the Court has already indicated an intention to conduct a joint claim construction hearing. All of the responding defendants thus far have claimed that the `184 patent is invalid, and have also asserted entitlement to a stay pending completion of ex parte reexamination proceedings requested by defendants in the low-numbered Black & Decker case. Both Court and all parties would benefit from consolidation of claim construction, discovery, and other related matters. Thus, consolidation of these actions is appropriate. PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND Presently pending in this District are 23 related patent infringement cases 1, the short names of which are as follows: Abbr. Case Name Sorensen v. Black & Decker, et al Sorensen v. Giant Int'l Sorensen v. Esseplast Sorensen v. Helen of Troy Sorensen v. Energizer Sorensen v. Emerson Sorensen v. Ryobi Sorensen v. Senco Sorensen v. Informatics Sorensen v. Sanyo Sorensen v. Motorola Sorensen v. CTT Tools Sorensen v. Alltrade Sorensen v. Global Machinery Sorensen v. Emissive Energy Sorensen v. Metabo Sorensen v. Rally
1

Case No. 06cv1572 07cv2121 07cv2277 07cv2278 07cv2321 08cv0060 08cv0070 08cv0071 08cv0134 08cv0135 08cv0136 08cv0231 08cv0232 08cv0233 08cv0234 08cv0304 08cv0305

Date Filed Aug 7, 2006 Nov 6, 2007 Dec 4, 2007 Dec 4, 2007 Dec 11, 2007 Jan 10, 2008 Jan 11, 2008 Jan 11, 2008 Jan 23, 2008 Jan 23, 2008 Jan 23, 2008 Feb 5, 2008 Feb 5, 2008 Feb 5, 2008 Feb 5, 2008 Feb 15, 2008 Feb 15, 2008

An additional case based on the same patent is Sorensen v. Johnson Level, Case No. 08cv0025. Consolidation of this case is not sought because it has already had a default entered. 8.
Case No. 06-cv-1572 BTM CAB and others

Case 3:07-cv-02278-BTM-CAB

Document 27-2

Filed 04/09/2008

Page 9 of 11

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Sorensen v. Sunbeam Sorensen v. Star Asia Sorensen v. Logitech Sorensen v. Central Purchasing Sorensen v. Kyocera Sorensen v. DMS Holdings

08cv0306 08cv0307 08cv0308 08cv0309 08cv0411 08cv0559

Feb 15, 2008 Feb 15, 2008 Feb 15, 2008 Feb 15, 2008 Mar 4, 2008 Mar 25, 2008

Stays have been issued in Sorensen v. Black & Decker (3:06-cv-01572), Sorensen v. Giant (3:07cv2121), Sorensen v. Esseplast (3:07-cv-02277), Sorensen v. Energizer (3:07-cv-02321), Sorensen v. Helen of Troy Texas Corporation (3:07-cv02278). Motions for Stay are pending in Sorensen v. Emerson (3:08-cv-00060); Sorensen v. Global Machinery (3:08-cv-00233), Sorensen v. Kyocera (3:08-cv00411), Sorensen v. Rally (3:08-cv-00305), Sorensen v. Ryobi (3:08-cv-00070), Sorensen v. Senco (3:08-cv-00071), Sorensen v. Central Purchasing (3:08-cv00309). In all unstayed cases, Sorensen has filed Motions to Modify Patent Local Rules Schedule to Accelerate Identification of Claimed Invalidating Prior Art and intends to request the same relief in the stayed cases. ARGUMENT THIS COURT SHOULD CONSOLIDATE THESE RELATED CASES FOR PURPOSES OF EFFICIENCY. Fed.R.Civ.P. Rule 42(a) allows this Court to order consolidation of separate actions: When actions involving a common question of law and fact are pending before the court, it may order a joint hearing or trial of any or all the matters in issue in the actions; it may order all the actions consolidated;

9.

Case No. 06-cv-1572 BTM CAB and others

Case 3:07-cv-02278-BTM-CAB

Document 27-2

Filed 04/09/2008

Page 10 of 11

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

and it may make such orders concerning proceedings therein as may tend to avoid unnecessary costs or delay. Consolidation pursuant to the Rule 42(a) is proper where, as here, actions involve common questions of law and fact. In re Equity Funding Corp. of Am. Sec. Litig., 416 F. Supp. 161, 175 (C.D. Cal. 1976). This Court has broad discretion under this Rule to consolidate cases pending within this District. Perez-Funez v District Director, Immigration and Naturalization Serv., 611 F. Supp. 990, 994 (C.D. Cal. 1984) ("[A] Court has broad discretion in deciding whether or not to grant a motion for consolidation, although, typically, consolidation is favored.") (citation omitted). Even if there are some questions that are not common, consolidation is not precluded. Batazzi v. Petroleum Helicopters, Inc., 664 F. 2d 49, 50 (5th Cir. 1981); See Central Motor Co. v. United States, 583 F. 2d 470 (10th Cir. 1978). Common questions of law and fact abound in these cases. All the cases allege infringement of United States Patent No. 4,935,184 and claim construction of the patent should be conducted jointly. All of the responding defendants have made pro forma assertions of invalidity of the patent. The basis for these assertions should be disclosed so that any asserted prior art can be brought before the PTO during the existing reexamination proceedings that have prompted the pending stays of litigation. All of the responding defendants have asserted entitlement to a stay pending completion of ex parte reexamination proceedings requested by Black & Decker, Phillips Plastics and Hi-Tech Plastics. Thus far, the Court has granted stays to every additional defendant (after the Black & Decker defendants) requesting a stay on this basis, even though the most recent filed Opposition to Motion for Stay (Sorensen v. Energizer, Case No. 07cv2321) contained new information demonstrating that reexaminations were likely to take much longer than the two years anticipated by the Court when the initial stay was entered. Because of the significant overlap of legal and factual issues, these cases are
10.
Case No. 06-cv-1572 BTM CAB and others

Case 3:07-cv-02278-BTM-CAB

Document 27-2

Filed 04/09/2008

Page 11 of 11

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

particularly appropriate for consolidation. CONCLUSION For the foregoing reasons, Plaintiff respectfully requests that this Court consolidate the related actions identified herein pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. Rule 42(a). Dated this Wednesday, April 09, 2008. Respectfully submitted, JENS ERIK SORENSEN, as Trustee of SORENSEN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TRUST, Plaintiff /s/ Melody A. Kramer J. Michael Kaler Melody A. Kramer Patricia A. Shackelford Attorneys for Plaintiff

11.

Case No. 06-cv-1572 BTM CAB and others