Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-06946/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-06946-4/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 830
Nature of Suit: Patent
Cause of Action: 35:271 Patent Infringement

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION,

 Plaintiff,

 v.

 OPTOMA TECHNOLOGY, INC.,

Defendant. /

No. C06-06946 MJJ

ORDER VACATING HEARING AND

DENYING EPSON’S MOTION TO

COMPEL CORETRONIC’S

COMPLIANCE WITH PATENT L.R. 3-2

Before the Court is the Motion To Compel Coretronic’s Compliance With Patent Local Rule

3-2 (Docket No. 77) brought by Plaintiff and Counterdefendant Seiko Epson Corporation and

Counterdefendant Epson Research and Development, Inc. (collectively “Epson”).

Patent Local Rule 3-2(b) requires the production of “[a]ll documents evidencing the

conception, reduction to practice, design, and development of each claimed invention, which were

created on or before the date of application for the patent in suit or the priority date identified

pursuant to patent L.R. 3-1(e), whichever is earlier.” In its July 23, 2007 Case Management and

Pretrial order, the Court has already ordered production of these documents required by the patent

local rules. (Docket No. 66.) 

Epson has failed to establish an adequate basis for this Court to issue a further order

requiring Coretronic to produce the documents described in Patent Local Rule 3-2(b). To the extent

Epson seeks an order compelling production of the documents described in Patent Local Rule 3-

Case 3:06-cv-06946-MHP Document 86 Filed 10/02/07 Page 1 of 2
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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2(b), Coretronic has represented, in meet-and-confer communications and by sworn declaration, that

no further documents in this category exist that have not been produced. Epson speculates that

further unproduced documents exist, but provides no evidence supporting this conjecture. Such

speculation is not the proper basis for bringing, or maintaining, a premature motion to compel. 

Epson also appears to seek even broader relief, requesting an order compelling production of

all documents relating to the “conception, reduction to practice, design and development” of

Coretronic’s inventions, without limitation by date of creation. (See Epson’s Notice of Motion at

2:9-10, Docket No. 77; Epson’s Proposed Order, Docket No. 77, Attachment No. 1.) Patent Local

Rule 3-2(b) does not provide a basis for such a request, as it does not require the production of

documents created after the application date or the priority date, whichever is earlier. 

In its reply brief, Epson contends for the first time that Coretronic has failed to produce

documents regarding the design of the EzPro 725 projector in response to Document Request No.

38. The Court declines to rule on this issue, as it was not properly raised in Epson’s opening papers. 

Epson’s motion and notice of motion did not identify Document Request No. 38 (nor any other

specific document requests) supporting its motion to compel, and therefore did not comply with

Civil Local Rule 37-2. (See Notice of Motion, Docket No. 77, p. 2, n.1.) 

Given that Epson has failed to justify an order compelling further production, Epson has also

failed to establish “good cause” under Patent Local Rule 3-7 for an order permitting amendment of

Epson’s Preliminary Invalidity Contentions at this time.

For the foregoing reasons, the Court VACATES the October 9, 2007 hearing in this matter

and DENIES the Motion.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: October 2, 2007 

MARTIN J. JENKINS

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 3:06-cv-06946-MHP Document 86 Filed 10/02/07 Page 2 of 2