Opinion ID: 1565748
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Attack upon Patents.

Text: Upon motion, the court struck from the amended answer averments challenging the validity of two of the patents covered by the license. This portion of the answer is based on a rather singularly stated alternative proposition, to wit: That if there be no subsisting contract embracing a license to this defendant under plaintiff's patents, and protecting defendant against any charge of infringement of said patents, and if plaintiff nevertheless asserts a right to injunctive relief against defendant arising out of said patents, then, for further answer, with the same reservations as hereinbefore made, defendant avers    that said patents are invalid.    The defense and counterclaims of defendant are based upon the insistence that the license is subsisting in it. Such being its position, and it being in the attitude of a licensee, it is estopped to deny the validity of the patents covered thereby. United States v. Harvey Steel Co., 196 U. S. 310, 25 S. Ct. 240, 49 L. Ed. 492; Kinsman v. Parkhurst, 59 U. S. 289, 292, 293, 15 L. Ed. 385; H. C. White Co. v. Morton E. Converse & Son Co., 20 F.(2d) 311, 313 (C. C. A. 2); Victory, etc., Co. v. O. & J. Mach. Co., 280 F. 753, 759 (C. C. A. 1); Kohn v. Eimer, 265 F. 900, 904 (C. C. A. 2); Miami Cycle Co. v. Robinson, 245 F. 556, 565 (C. C. A. 6); Chicago & A. Ry. Co. v. Pressed Steel C. Co., 243 F. 883, 887 (C. C. A. 7); Tate v. B. & O. R. R. Co., 229 F. 141, 142 (C. C. A. 4); Indiana Mfg. Co. v. J. I. Case Mfg. Co., 154 F. 365, 370 (C. C. A. 7); Holmes, B. & H. v. McGill, 108 F. 238, 244 (C. C. A. 2). Furthermore, the license contract itself provided:  Validity of Patents. The licensee hereby acknowledges the validity of the Letters Patent, for the full term thereof, and agrees at no time either directly or indirectly to attack or question the validity thereof. Appellant cannot claim that it is a licensee under and because of this contract and, at the same time, violate that contract in a very essential provision thereof.