Judge Reverses Apple’s Request for Motorola/Google Information

U.S. Circuit Judge Richard A. Posner on Monday reversed a decision handed down earlier this month that had compelled Motorola Mobility to give Apple information regarding its merger with Google and the development of the Android platform as part of a patent infringement lawsuit. On Monday, that same judge belayed that order after Motorola provided persuasive objections.

The judge agreed that the request was “vague and overbroad.”

This lawsuit stems from the patents that Google will acquire when its acquisition of Motorola Mobility is complete. The merger has been approved by US and EU regulators, but is not yet finalized.

Apple had initially requested, and Judge Posner had ordered, Motorola to hand over information regarding features on their devices that Apple claims infringes on their patents and information on the plans for development of Android.

Motorola, to no one’s surprise, objected, and Judge Posner in a short statement agreed that the request was “vague and overbroad and Motorola’s objections are persuasive. … If Apple desires a further court order compelling production of data within the scope of the March 5 order, it will have to narrow its request to a manageable and particularized set of documents.”

This case is still scheduled to go to trial in June in U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois (Chicago).