Opinion ID: 766560
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: 1995 Patent Infringement Lawsuit

Text: 7 On October 19, 1995, Augustine sued Progressive and various individual defendants for infringement of its '188, '102, '320, '371, and '417 patents. 1 All five of the patents issued prior to the date of the Settlement Agreement. The lawsuit specifically limits the claims to Progressive's actions occurring after April 24, 1995, the date of the Settlement Agreement. Progressive's accused convective warming blankets were on sale in a materially identical form prior to the execution of the Settlement Agreement. 8 On December 22, 1995, Progressive moved to dismiss for failure to state a claim and to dismiss the claims against the individual defendants. The district court granted the latter motion, and Augustine does not appeal that issue. On December 10, 1996, Progressive moved for summary judgment on all of the patent claims based on the April 24, 1995 Settlement Agreement. The district court conducted a hearing on March 28, 1997 and granted Progressive's motion, stating that Augustine was trying simply to reopen that which [the parties] have already agreed upon and settled, that Augustine's present lawsuit was a future dispute[ ] involving activity that had already begun, and that, by Augustine's own admission, all of the claims could have been asserted prior to execution of the Settlement Agreement. Augustine Med., slip op. at 19-20. Augustine filed a timely appeal with this court on the grant of summary judgment.