Wilson Sporting Goods Co. v. David Geoffrey & Associates case brief

Wilson Sporting Goods Co. v. David Geoffrey & Associates case brief summary
904 F.2d 677 (1990)

CASE SYNOPSIS

Defendant appealed a judgment from the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina in favor of plaintiff for patent infringement upon a jury verdict of patent validity and willful infringement.

CASE FACTS
Plaintiff and defendant manufactured and sold golf balls. Plaintiff had a patent on its dimple design. Plaintiff sued defendant for infringement, alleging that its golf balls infringed on plaintiff's patent. The magistrate judge entered judgment for plaintiff after a jury found plaintiff's patent valid and that defendant willfully infringed the patent.

HOLDING
The court of appeals reversed because a range of equivalents broad enough to cover defendant's golf balls would also have encompassed the prior art.

CONCLUSION

The court of appeals reversed the judgment, holding that the magistrate erred in denying defendant's motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict on infringement because, as a matter of law, a range of equivalents broad enough to cover the allegedly infringing product would also have encompassed the prior art.

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