Opinion ID: 211139
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Waiver and Scope of Appellate Review

Text: At the close of Syngenta's case, Delta Cotton moved for a directed verdict on the grounds that Syngenta had failed to carry its burden of proof on both PVPA infringement and Lanham Act infringement. The trial court denied that motion from the bench. Following entry of the jury's verdict, Delta Cotton filed motions for new trial, judgment notwithstanding the verdict, and order of remittitur, all of which the district court denied in its order of July 5, 2005. Under Eighth Circuit law, a post-verdict motion for judgment as a matter of law may not raise issues not previously raised in a pre-verdict motion. Walsh, 332 F.3d at 1158. Here, Delta Cotton's pre-verdict motion raised only sufficiency of the evidence as grounds, asserting that Syngenta had failed to prove PVPA infringement and had failed to prove confusion or injury under the Lanham Act. The trial court therefore limited its consideration of Delta Cotton's motions to those issues, and—except with respect to Delta Cotton's argument under § 2567 of the PVPA, discussed below—we are constrained to do the same. The sole issues before us on appeal, therefore, are (1) whether the jury's verdicts of infringement under the PVPA and confusion or injury under the Lanham Act were supported by evidence sufficient to sustain the verdicts, and (2) whether the district court correctly applied § 2567 of the PVPA. 05-1507 6