It’s just not the right time …

Case No. O2016_012 ¦ Decision of 22 February 2017 (excerpt) ¦ “Rechtliches Gehör, unbedingtes Replikrecht, Prozessleitung, Waffengleichheit”

A previous version of this post mentioned Bruno MEYER as an assisting patent attorney on behalf of the defendant. I have been informed that this is wrong; he is actually engaged on behalf of the plaintiff. This has been corrected hereinbelow.

This procedural order is almost a blueprint of a published order in the case O2012_039; see this Blog here. Again, an alleged infringer argued for nullity as a plea in defense with his answer to the suit. Prior to the preparatory hearing, the plaintiff had been ordered and actually provided a reply only with respect to the alleged nullity, for the time being. So far so good.

But the defendant filed a factual rejoinder concerning the (in)validity of the patent in suit. This evidently frustrated the court’s intention to have one(!) reply of each party on file pertaining to the questions of infringement and nullity. Consequently, the FPC decided to not take the defendant’s submission on file at all, for the time being. The defendant may re-file the same after the preparatory hearing, with his rejoinder.

Die Prozessleitung ist Sache des Gerichts (Art. 124 Abs. 1 ZPO). Wenn die Beklagten hier nun ungefragt mit einer faktischen Duplik zur Bestandesfrage reagieren, wird das Bestreben des Gerichts, die Waffengleichheit der Parteien zu wahren, unterlaufen. Das ist zu unterbinden. Entsprechend ist die Eingabe der Beklagten (samt Beilagen) aus dem Recht zu weisen. Es steht den Beklagten frei, das Vorgebrachte (nach der Instruktionsverhandlung) im Rahmen der dann einzuholenden Duplik erneut vorzutragen.

Reported by Martin WILMING

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Case No. O2016_012 ¦ Decision of 22 February 2017 (excerpt) ¦ “Rechtliches Gehör, unbedingtes Replikrecht, Prozessleitung, Waffengleichheit”

A AG

./.

(1) B GmbH
(2) C GmbH

Composition of the Board of the FPC:

  • Dr. Dieter BRÄNDLE
  • Dr. Tobias BREMI

Reporting Judge:

  • n/a

Court Clerk:

  • Susanne ANDERHALDEN

Representative(s) of Plaintiff:

Representative(s) of Defendant:

  • Dr. Michael RITSCHER (MLL)
  • Dr. Kilian SCHAERLI (MLL)

DECISION (EXCERPT)

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