Judge Lucy Koh has thrown out $450 million worth of damages in Apple's lawsuit against Samsung, citing jury error in determining damages. The issue involves unclarity in what particular patents are assigned damages.
The move highlights the difficulties that a jury faces in a complicated trial involving high tech issues. Juries are not selected for their technical expertise, but rather screened for impartiality in considering the case and rendering a verdict.
Critics had criticized the jury for seeming to favor Apple in the case. Koh's ruling does not strike down the entire case - approximately $600 million in damages still remain while a new trial will be held to determine damages for the 14 devices currently in question.
Samsung was targeted in the landmark lawsuit by Apple due to its dominance in the smartphone market. The lawsuit was widely considered to be a preemptive move to impede further growth by Samsung. Although unprecedented damages were awareded to Apple, the ruling stopped short of banning Samsung products and therefore did not have the effect that analysts believed Apple had hoped for.
The case is just one chapter of the ongoing struggle between the two consumer technology giants. Samsung and Apple have brought lawsuits against one another in a number of countries worldwide, many of which are not yet settled. Consumers and tech industry leaders have called for the two companies to compete on innovation rather than taking advantage of patent laws to harm one another.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has said that he was opposed to bringing the lawsuit, but that Apple founder Steve Jobs had strongly supported it during his tenure as chief executive before his death from complications of cancer.
