[Fsfe-ie] Re: McCreevey and ther next step

teresahackett at eircom.net teresahackett at eircom.net
Tue Jul 26 00:07:08 CEST 2005


Agreed, in particular because laches belongs to the law of equity and 
equitable remedies are discretionary, along with other maxims such as 
that both parties must come to the courts with clean hands, etc.

 > for some cases. It seems to be by no means clear-cut, but the 
doctrine > is there.  I would guess it may be viewed as a shaky thing to 
base an
 > infringement case defence on.

Teresa


Justin Mason wrote:

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> 
> The term for this is "laches" --
> 
> Laches - the legal doctrine that a legal right or claim will not be
> enforced or allowed if a long delay in asserting the right or claim has
> prejudiced the adverse party (hurt the opponent) as a sort of "legal
> ambush." - Law.com dictionary
> 
> http://www.bohanlaw.com/patessf.html :
> 
> ... the patent holder has an obligation to protect and defend the rights
> granted under patent law. Just as permitting the public to freely cross
> one's property may lead to the permanent establishment of a public right
> of way and the diminishment of one's property rights, so the knowing
> failure to enforce one's patent rights (one legal term for this is laches)
> against infringement by others may result in the forfeiture of some or all
> of the rights granted in a particular patent. 
> 
> See also:
> 
> http://www.depo.com/torpedoing.htm
> http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/printer_friendly.pl?page=us/264/463.html
> 
> for some cases. It seems to be by no means clear-cut, but the doctrine is
> there.  I would guess it may be viewed as a shaky thing to base an
> infringement case defence on.
> 
> - --j.



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