Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-00692/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-00692-26/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 830
Nature of Suit: Patent
Cause of Action: 28:1338 Patent Infringement

---

United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

GEO. M. MARTIN COMPANY, a California

corporation, and THE MARTIN FAMILY

TRUST – 1989,

Plaintiffs,

 v.

ALLIANCE MACHINE SYSTEMS

INTERNATIONAL, LLC, a Wyoming

corporation,

Defendant. /

No. C 07-00692 WHA

ORDER RE TRIAL ON

STANDING

The order dated April 30, 2008, denying defendant’s motion for summary judgment that

plaintiff George M. Martin Company lacks standing stated, “[m]ost likely, the issue of the

company’s standing to sue will be tried first with the infringement case to follow” (Dkt. 187). 

The parties were invited to address whether the exclusive-licensee issue was one for the Court

or one for the jury. Defendant submitted a brief memorandum explaining the question was one

for the Court. Plaintiffs then argued that the issue of standing was intertwined with the

substantive issues of the case thereby making it a question for the jury. After reviewing the

briefing submitted by plaintiffs, however, the Court finds that the facts relating to the standing

issue are not intertwined with the other substantive issues of the case as defined under Federal

Circuit law. In particular, the Court finds the issue of whether George M. Martin Company is

an exclusive licensee separate and distinct from the issues of obviousness and royalty

Case 3:07-cv-00692-WHA Document 200 Filed 05/07/08 Page 1 of 2
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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

2

calculations cited by plaintiffs. Accordingly, the Court will first hear evidence on the standing

issue, resolve it, and then the remaining portion of the case will proceed to a jury.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: May 7, 2008. WILLIAM ALSUP

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 3:07-cv-00692-WHA Document 200 Filed 05/07/08 Page 2 of 2