Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_04-cv-03115/USCOURTS-cand-5_04-cv-03115-6/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 830
Nature of Suit: Patent
Cause of Action: 15:1126 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

SAN JOSE DIVISION

SPORTVISION, INC.,

Plaintiff,

 v.

SPORTSMEDIA TECHNOLOGY

CORPORATION,

Defendant.

 /

NO. C 04-03115 JW 

ORDER DENYING DEFENDANT’S

MOTION FOR ENTRY OF FINAL

JUDGMENT ON TRADEMARK CLAIMS

PURSUANT TO FRCP 54(b)

I. INTRODUCTION

Plaintiff Sportvision, Inc. (“Plaintiff”) initiated this lawsuit against Defendant SportsMEDIA

Technology Corporation (“Defendant”) for patent infringement, trademark infringement and unfair

competition. At issue are the rights to a virtual yellow first-down line used in football game

broadcasts. On August 4, 2005, the Court granted Defendant’s motion for partial summary judgment on

the trademark issues (Counts IV, V, and VI of Plaintiff’s complaint) (“MSJ Order”) (Docket No. 201)

and on October 4, 2005 amended its MSJ Order to include cancellation of Plaintiff's trademark

registration under 15 U.S.C. § 1119 (Count Five in Defendant’s counterclaim). 

Presently before the Court is Defendant’s Motion to for Entry of Final Judgment on Trademark

Claims Pursuant to Rule 54(b) (Docket No. 212). A hearing on Defendant’s motion is set for October

3, 2005. However, the Court finds it appropriate to take the motion under submission without oral

Case 5:04-cv-03115-JW Document 249 Filed 10/06/05 Page 1 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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argument pursuant to Civil Local Rule 7-1(b). Based on the arguments advanced by counsel in their

briefs, the Court declines to certify the trademark claims for appeal under Fed. R. Civ. P. 54(b). Rule

54(b) provides that in pertinent part “[w]hen more than one claim for relief is presented in an action,

whether as a claim, counterclaim, . . . the court may direct the entry of a final judgment as to one or

more but fewer than all of the claims or parties only upon an express determination that there is no just

reason for delay and upon an express direction for the entry of judgment.” Partial judgments under

Rule 54(b) are not routinely granted. See Morrison-Knudsen Co. v. Archer, 655 F.2d 962, 965 (9th

Cir. 1981) (stating that “[j]udgments under Rule 54(b) must be reserved for the unusual case. . .”).

After taking into account the interests of judicial economy as well as the equities involved, the Court

finds that there is just cause for delaying the appeal of the trademark claims until the Court adjudicates

the remaining claims and counterclaims so that the appellate court can resolve all the claims, patents,

trademarks, and state tort claims, in one single proceeding. See Wood v. GCC Bend, LLC, No.

04-35073, 2005 WL 2126786, at *7 (9th Cir. Sept. 6, 2005) (citing Curtiss-Wright Corp. v. General

Elec. Co., 446 U.S. 1, 10 (1980)). 

Accordingly, Defendant’s Motion to for Entry of Final Judgment on Trademark Claims

Pursuant to Rule 54(b) is DENIED. 

Dated: October 5, 2005

04cv3115certify

/s/James Ware 

JAMES WARE

United States District Judge

Case 5:04-cv-03115-JW Document 249 Filed 10/06/05 Page 2 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT COPIES OF THIS ORDER HAVE BEEN DELIVERED TO:

Larry Vierra lvierra@vmmhd.com

Burt Magen bmagen@vmmhd.com

Laura L. Carroll lcarroll@burnslev.com

Merton E. Thompson mthompson@burnslev.com

Doyle B. Johnson dbjohnson@reedsmith.com

John P. Bovich jbovich@reedsmith.com

Kerry Hopkins khopkins@reedsmith.com

Scott D. Baker sbaker@reedsmith.com

Matthew H. Adler adlerm@pepperlaw.com

Nathan W. Dean deann@pepperlaw.com

Vincent V. Carissimi carissimiv@pepperlaw.com

Dated: October 6, 2005 Richard W. Wieking, Clerk

By:__/s/JW Chambers_________

Ronald L. Davis

Courtroom Deputy

Case 5:04-cv-03115-JW Document 249 Filed 10/06/05 Page 3 of 3