IconFind, Inc. v. Google, Inc.

Filing 36

MEMORANDUM by IconFind, Inc. in support of 35 Motion to Dismiss and Motion to Strike. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Exhibit E, # 6 Proposed Order)(Folgers, Anna) Modified on 4/20/2011 (Becknal, R).

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1 2 3 4 5 6 WILKE, FLEURY, HOFFELT, GOULD & BIRNEY, LLP Thomas G. Redmon (SBN 47090) TRedmon@wilkefleury.com Daniel L. Baxter (SBN 203862) DBaxter@wilkefleury.com 400 Capitol Mall, 22nd Floor Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 441-2430 Fax: (916) 442-6664 12 NIRO, HALLER & NIRO Raymond P. Niro (Admitted Pro hac vice) RNiro@nshn.com Raymond P. Niro, Jr. (Admitted Pro hac vice) RNiroJr@nshn.com Brian E. Haan (Admitted Pro hac vice) BHaan@nshn.com Anna B. Folgers (Admitted Pro hac vice) AFolgers@nshn.com 181 West Madison, Suite 4600 Chicago, IL 60602-4515 Phone: (312) 236-0733 Fax: (312) 236-3137 13 Attorneys for Plaintiff IconFind, Inc. 7 8 9 10 11 14 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 15 ICONFIND, INC., Case No. 2:11-cv-00319-GEB-JFM 16 Plaintiff, PLAINTIFF ICONFIND, INC.'S MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF ITS MOTION TO DISMISS PURSUANT TO FRCP 12(B)(6) AND MOTION TO STRIKE PURSUANT TO FRCP 12(F) Defendant. DATE: MAY 16, 2011 TIME: 9:00 A.M. PLACE: COURTROOM 10 JUDGE GARLAND E. BURRELL, JR. 17 v. 18 GOOGLE INC., 19 20 21 22 Plaintiff IconFind, Inc. (“IconFind”) respectfully moves to dismiss the “amended” 23 counterclaim purporting to allege invalidity of the patent-in-suit by Defendant Google Inc. 24 ("Google") under Rule 12(b)(6). IconFind also moves to strike Google's corresponding amended 25 affirmative defense of invalidity pursuant to Rule 12(f). Because Google has for a second time 26 1 failed to specify adequate grounds or supporting facts that could possibly support a finding that 2 IconFind’s patent is invalid, Google's amended invalidity counterclaim (Count Two) and 3 corresponding amended affirmative defense (Second Defense) fail to state claims on which relief 4 can be granted and must be dismissed as a matter of law. 5 Even after filing an amended pleading, Google’s invalidity allegations fall far short of the 6 requirements of Rule 8 and recent Supreme Court precedent. In place of Google’s blatantly 7 insufficient “catch all” invalidity counterclaim, Google has instead added language that still does 8 not provide to IconFind notice of the basis for Google’s invalidity allegations. (Def's First 9 Amended Answer, Dkt. No. 27, ¶ 11-12, Exhibit A). The amended patent invalidity 10 counterclaim asserts that the Iconfind patent is invalid because it fails to meet the “conditions for 11 patentability” of 35 USC §§ 102, 103, and/or 112 because the “alleged invention thereof lacks 12 utility; is taught by, suggested by, and/or obvious in view of, the prior art; and/or is unsupported 13 by the written description of the patented invention.” (Def's First Amended Answer, Dkt. No. 14 27, ¶ 14-15, Exhibit A). Instead of identifying what prior art Google contends invalidates the 15 Iconfind patent, Google simply added legal buzzwords to its allegations in a thin attempt to raise 16 its pleading up to the proper standard. While Google has narrowed the statutory subsections on 17 which it intends to rely, it still provides no facts to support its allegations. Google's Second 18 Defense replicates the language of its counterclaim Count Two, and is likewise deficient. (Def's 19 First Amended Answer, Dkt. No. 27, ¶ 14-15, Exhibit A). 20 counterclaim alleging invalidity under "35 USC §§ 102, 103 and/or 112 because the alleged 21 invention thereof lacks utility" is nonsensical: lack of utility is an issue brought under Section 22 101 – not Sections 102, 103 or 112. As such, these allegations do not state a claim that is 23 plausible on its face, and cannot withstand scrutiny under the Supreme Court’s Twombly and Moreover, Google’s amended 24 -225 26 PLAINTIFF ICONFIND, INC.'S MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF ITS MOTION TO DISMISS PURSUANT TO FRCP 12(B)(6) AND MOTION TO STRIKE PURSUANT TO FRCP 12(F) 1 Iqbal decisions. On that basis, numerous courts in this Circuit have dismissed similarly deficient 2 counterclaims and affirmative defenses. 3 Accordingly, and as set forth in further detail below, IconFind respectfully requests that 4 the Court grant its motion to dismiss Google's amended counterclaim of patent invalidity (Count 5 Two) pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) and grant its motion to strike Google's amended affirmative 6 defense of invalidity (Second Defense) pursuant to Rule 12(f). 7 I. 8 On February 3, 2011, IconFind filed this suit in the United States District Court for the 9 Eastern District of California for infringement of its United States Patent No. 7,181,459 B2. 10 Google has known about this patent for years. In January 2009, IconFind provided notice to 11 Google that the '459 patent covered Google's operation of its website functionality. Nonetheless, 12 Google has continued its infringement with disregard for the '459 patent. Google and its patent 13 attorneys also were aware of the '459 patent as evidenced by the prosecution of Google's own 14 U.S. Patent Nos. 7,664,734, 7,693,825 and 7,788,274. 15 BACKGROUND On April 1, 2011, Iconfind filed its first Motion to Dismiss and Motion to Strike 16 Google’s invalidity counterclaim and corresponding affirmative defense. Recognizing the 17 deficiencies in its pleading, Google on April 11, 2011 filed a First Amended Answer and 18 Counterclaims (Dkt. No. 27) and requested Iconfind to withdraw its pending Motion to Dismiss 19 in light of this filing. (Correspondence, Exhibit B). Iconfind informed Google that its pleading 20 was still deficient, but in an effort to compromise, suggested that Google agree to provide to 21 Iconfind substantive discovery responses concerning invalidity. Id. Google declined to agree to 22 Iconfind’s request. Id. Accordingly, without fair notice Google's counterclaims via the pleading, 23 and without any assurance from Google that it would substantively respond to discovery, 24 Iconfind had no choice but to file this Motion regarding Google's amended pleading. 25 PLAINTIFF ICONFIND, INC.'S MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF ITS MOTION TO DISMISS PURSUANT TO -326 FRCP 12(B)(6) AND MOTION TO STRIKE PURSUANT TO FRCP 12(F) 1 The pleading deficiencies of Google's counterclaim are striking, particularly given 2 Google's familiarity with the patent and that this is Google’s second attempt to adequately plead 3 its counterclaim. Google has now twice been given ample opportunity to prepare and adequately 4 set forth the basis for its invalidity claim and affirmative defense. Its complete failure to do so 5 requires dismissal of its counterclaim and affirmative defense. 6 7 II. APPLICABLE LAW A. Rule 8 and Rule 12(b)(6) 8 “Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8(a)(2), a pleading must contain ‘a short and 9 plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.’” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 10 129 S. Ct. 1937, 1949 (2009) (quoting Fed.R.Civ.P. 8(a)(2)). “A pleading that offers ‘labels’ and 11 conclusions’ or ‘a formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action will not do.’” Id. 12 (citing Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555 (2007)). “Nor does a complaint 13 suffice if it tenders ‘naked assertion[s]’ devoid of ‘further factual enhancement.’” Id. 14 "A Rule 12(b)(6) dismissal motion tests the legal sufficiency of the claims alleged in the 15 complaint." McMaster v. United States, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 99831, at *2 (E.D. Cal. Sept. 9, 16 2010) (Burrell, J.); Navarro v. Block, 250 F.3d 729, 732 (9th Cir. 2001). In deciding such a 17 motion, all material allegations of the complaint are accepted as true. Id. “To survive a motion 18 to dismiss, a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to ‘state a claim 19 to relief that is plausible on its face.’” Iqbal, 129 S. Ct. at 1949 (citations omitted). The 20 Supreme Court in Iqbal explained that: 21 22 23 24 [a] claim has facial plausibility when the plaintiff pleads factual content that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged. … The plausibility standard is not akin to a "probability requirement," but it asks for more than a sheer possibility that a defendant has acted unlawfully. … Where a complaint pleads facts that are "merely consistent with" a defendant's liability, it "stops short of the line between possibility and plausibility of 'entitlement to relief.'" -4- 25 26 PLAINTIFF ICONFIND, INC.'S MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF ITS MOTION TO DISMISS PURSUANT TO FRCP 12(B)(6) AND MOTION TO STRIKE PURSUANT TO FRCP 12(F) 1 Id. The Iqbal Court further explained that its decision in Twombly was based on two underlying 2 principles. Id. “First, the tenet that a court must accept as true all of the allegations contained in 3 a complaint is inapplicable to legal conclusions. Threadbare recitals of the elements of the 4 cause of action, supported by mere conclusory statements, do not suffice.” Id. (emphasis 5 added). “Second, only a complaint that states a plausible claim for relief survives a motion to 6 dismiss. … Determining whether a complaint states a plausible claim for relief will … be a 7 context-specific task that requires the reviewing court to draw on its judicial experience and 8 common sense.” Iqbal, 129 S. Ct. at 1950; See Tech. Licensing Corp. v. Technicolor USA, Inc., 9 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 113292, at *5-6 (E.D. Cal. Oct. 15, 2010) (Shubb, J.). 10 B. Rule 12(f) 11 Under Rule 12(f), “[t]he court may strike from a pleading an insufficient defense or any 12 redundant, immaterial, impertinent, or scandalous matter." Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(f). "The purpose 13 of the rule is to avoid the costs that accompany litigating spurious issues by dispensing with 14 those issues prior to trial." J & J Sports Prods. v. Delgado, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9013, at *3-4 15 (E.D. Cal. Jan. 18, 2011) (Shubb, J.). Though a motion to strike is generally viewed with 16 disfavor, it may be appropriate where allegations "may cause prejudice to one of the parties." 17 Ramos Oil Recyclers, Inc. v. AWIM, Inc., 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 62608, at *3 (E.D. Cal. Aug. 18 15, 2007) (Burrell, J.). “A defense may be struck if it fails to provide ‘fair notice’ of the basis 19 for the defense.” Qarbon.com v. eHelp Corp., 315 F. Supp. 2d 1046, 1051 (N.D. Cal. 2004) 20 (Ware, J.) (granting motion to strike affirmative defenses for patent invalidity for “failure to 21 provide ‘fair notice’ of what the defense is and the grounds upon it rests”), (citing Advanced 22 Cardiovascular Sys. v. Scimed Sys., 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11700, at *9-10 (N.D. Cal. July 24, 23 1996) (granting motion to strike affirmative defenses of patent invalidity)). In fact, in this 24 -525 26 PLAINTIFF ICONFIND, INC.'S MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF ITS MOTION TO DISMISS PURSUANT TO FRCP 12(B)(6) AND MOTION TO STRIKE PURSUANT TO FRCP 12(F) 1 Circuit, the “key to determining the sufficiency of pleading an affirmative defense is whether it 2 gives plaintiff fair notice of the defense.” Ramos Oil Recyclers, Inc., 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3 62608, at *3, (citing Wyshak v. City National Bank, 607 F.2d 824, 827 (9th Cir. 1979)). 4 III. GOOGLE'S AMENDED COUNTERCLAIM ALLEGING PATENT INVALIDITY IS INSUFFICIENT AS A MATTER OF LAW 5 A claim for declaratory judgment of invalidity that wholly fails to specify the grounds for 6 invalidity is insufficient as it does not provide fair notice of the party's claims. PB Farradyne, 7 Inc. v. Peterson, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3408, at *8-10 (N.D. Cal., Jan. 17, 2006). In 8 Qarbon.com, the court dismissed a counterclaim for invalidity which was similar to the 9 counterclaim in this case, finding it “radically insufficient.” In assessing the counterclaim, the 10 Qarbon.com court stated: 11 15 eHelp alleges that "the '441 patent is invalid and void under the provisions of Title 35, United States Code §§ 100 et seq., and specifically, §§ 101, 102, 103, and/or 112 ...." Counterclaim P6. Such a pleading is "radically insufficient." … By making general allegations, eHelp fails to give "fair notice" to Qarbon. 'Effective notice pleading should provide the defendant with a basis for assessing the initial strength of the plaintiff's claim, for preserving relevant evidence, for identifying any related counter- or cross-claims, and for preparing an appropriate answer." 16 315 F. Supp. 2d at 1050-1051 (internal citations omitted) (emphasis added). Similarly, in PB 17 Farradyne, Inc., 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3408 , at *8-10 (Illston, J.), the court granted a motion to 18 dismiss counterclaims that were similar to those in Qarbon.com and in this case, finding that, as 19 pled, the counterclaims did not “provide defendants with sufficient notice of the basis for its 20 claims.” Likewise, in Duramed Pharms., Inc. v. Watson Labs., Inc., the court dismissed a 21 counterclaim which contained the general allegation that the claims of the patent-in-suit were 22 “invalid because they fail to comply with one or more of the statutory requirements for 23 patentability set forth in 35 U.S.C. §§ 101 et seq,” stating “[plaintiff] is correct that this 24 allegation fails to state a claim. By failing to specify which of the many grounds of patent -6- 25 PLAINTIFF ICONFIND, INC.'S MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF ITS MOTION TO DISMISS PURSUANT TO 12 13 14 26 FRCP 12(B)(6) AND MOTION TO STRIKE PURSUANT TO FRCP 12(F) 1 invalidity it is relying upon, [defendant] does not put [plaintiff] on fair notice as to the basis of its 2 counterclaim.” 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 103389, at *11 (D. Nev. Dec. 12, 2008). 3 Google’s amended counterclaim for invalidity is as follows: 4 11. The ’459 patent is invalid under 35 U.S.C. § 101 because it fails to claim patentable subject matter insofar as it seeks to claim an abstract idea. 5 7 12. The ’459 patent is invalid because it fails to meet the “conditions for patentability” of 35 USC §§ 102, 103, and/or 112 because the alleged invention thereof lacks utility; is taught by, suggested by, and/or obvious in view of, the prior art; and/or is unsupported by the written description of the patented invention. 8 (Def's First Amended Answer, Dkt. No. 27, Exhibit A). 9 Google’s amended Section 101 pleading is a formulaically recited legal theory asserted 10 wholly without factual support. As such, it fails to state a claim that is plausible on its face. 11 Iqbal, 129 S. Ct. at 1949. 12 'conditions for patentability' of 35 USC §§ 102, 103, and/or 112 because the alleged invention 13 thereof lacks utility" is groundless; lack of utility is an issue brought under Section 101, not 14 Sections 102, 103 and 112. See 35 U.S.C. § 101 (Exhibit C); See MPEP § 2107.01 General 15 Principles Governing Utility Rejections. Google’s further inclusion of the legal concepts “is 16 taught by, suggested by, and/or obvious in view of, the prior art” is still no replacement for 17 adequate Section 102 and 103 allegations. Similarly, Google’s inclusion of the legal concept 18 “unsupported by the written description of the patented invention” is no replacement for 19 adequate Section 112 allegations. 20 independent grounds for relief. (See Exhibits A-E) Google's allegations fail to provide any, much 21 less “fair [ ]notice of what the … claim is and the grounds upon which it rests.” Twombly, 550 22 U.S. at 555 (quoting Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 47 (1957)). 6 Google's next allegation of invalidity for failure "to meet the As set forth below, these Sections provide numerous 23 For example, Section 102 of the Patent Act alone provides seven (7) subsections. (35 24 U.S.C. § 102, Exhibit C). At least five (5) of these subsections, in turn, set forth numerous -7- 25 PLAINTIFF ICONFIND, INC.'S MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF ITS MOTION TO DISMISS PURSUANT TO 26 FRCP 12(B)(6) AND MOTION TO STRIKE PURSUANT TO FRCP 12(F) 1 independent and far-ranging grounds for invalidating a patent claim, such as prior public use, 2 prior offer to sell, prior printed-publication, abandonment, prior patenting in a foreign country by 3 the inventor or his or her legal representatives or assigns, prior published patent applications by 4 others, prior issued patents by others, non-joinder of inventors, prior invention by others and the 5 like. See 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)-(g), (35 U.S.C. § 102, Exhibit C). For instance, what is the “prior 6 art” that Google contends to be invalidating? 7 The same is true with respect to the passing reference by Google to Section 103, which 8 sets forth additional bases for patent invalidity in the event that “the invention is not identically 9 disclosed or described as set forth in section 102 ….” (35 U.S.C. § 103, Exhibit D). Again, what 10 is the “prior art” that Google contends invalidates the Iconfind patent under Section 103? 11 Moreover, merely including the buzzwords of obviousness in its allegation is not enough. Iqbal, 12 129 S. Ct. at 1949 ("a formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action will not do"). 13 While Google's Amended Answer has replaced its former counterclaim’s open-ended 14 listing of statutes with additional legal language, it sill fails to provide any notice to IconFind – 15 or the Court – of the nature of its counterclaim other than that Google apparently contends that 16 the patent-in-suit is invalid. Google's amended counterclaim is barely a formulaic recitation of 17 elements, which itself “will not do” under Iqbal and Twombly, and also contains no factual 18 enhancement whatsoever. Here, the Court cannot accept as true any facts in these counterclaims, 19 as it must under a Rule 12(b)(6) analysis, because Google has alleged no facts at all. As such, 20 Google's counterclaim fails to either “raise a right to relief above the speculative level” or “state 21 a claim that is plausible on its face.” Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555, 570. 22 Google will presumably rely on Network Caching Tech., LLC v. Novell, Inc. in support 23 of the sufficiency of its amended counterclaim because Google admitted to IconFind that it used 24 the "exact language" analyzed in that decision. (April 12 Correspondence, Exhibit B, citing 2001 -8- 25 PLAINTIFF ICONFIND, INC.'S MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF ITS MOTION TO DISMISS PURSUANT TO 26 FRCP 12(B)(6) AND MOTION TO STRIKE PURSUANT TO FRCP 12(F) 1 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 26211, at*6-7 (N.D. Cal. Dec. 31, 2001))). First of all, that case was decided 2 long before the binding decisions relied upon to support IconFind's motion, including Twombly 3 and Iqbal. Moreover, in the modifications Google did make to the language in that case, it only 4 further confounded its problems by asserting that the invention "lacks utility" under the wrong 5 statutory sections. Google's reliance on Network Caching does not support the sufficiency of its 6 counterclaim, but instead, only shows that Google intended to provide the bare minimum, See 7 Network Caching, 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 26211, at*6-7 (noting that "more factual specificity 8 would be helpful"), which is insufficient under the current, controlling case law. 9 Moreover, IconFind will be prejudiced by Google's inadequate pleadings. Scheduling 10 orders and other discovery controls are meant to streamline the litigation process – not to provide 11 litigants the opportunity to offer a vague pleading, unnecessarily expand the scope of the 12 litigation and then rely on the expensive and time-consuming fact and expert discovery process 13 to flush out their theories. Relatedly, in an effort to compromise, IconFind requested that Google 14 assure IconFind that it would substantively respond to invalidity interrogatories rather than 15 object to them as premature. (April 12-13 Correspondence, Exhibit B). Google would provide 16 no such assurance. Id. Thus, allowing Google to proceed with its vague invalidity pleading 17 prejudices IconFind, as it unfairly allows Google additional time to develop its theories, and 18 forces IconFind to use the expensive and time consuming discovery process to extract Google's 19 theories which should have been provided in the pleading. 20 In short, if Google has viable theories of patent invalidity, it should be allowed to plead 21 and litigate them, provided that they are well-grounded in fact and law and they provide adequate 22 notice to IconFind and the Court of its allegations. What it should not be allowed to do is to 23 merely speculate – without providing any notice to IconFind and to the Court – that the patent- 24 -925 26 PLAINTIFF ICONFIND, INC.'S MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF ITS MOTION TO DISMISS PURSUANT TO FRCP 12(B)(6) AND MOTION TO STRIKE PURSUANT TO FRCP 12(F) 1 in-suit is invalid for unspecified reasons in a pleading and then use that deficient pleading to 2 expand the scope of the lawsuit unnecessarily. 3 Google’s second attempt to adequately plead that the Iconfind patent is also deficient. 4 Google should not be given a third bite at the apple. For this and all of the foregoing reasons, 5 Google's amended invalidity counterclaim should be dismissed. 6 7 IV. GOOGLE'S AMENDED SECOND AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE SHOULD BE STRICKEN FROM THE PLEADING FOR FAILING TO PROVIDE FAIR NOTICE OF THE DEFENSE 8 For the reasons set forth above, Google's affirmative defense alleging patent invalidity 9 (Second Defense) should also be dismissed. Under Rule 12(f), “[t]he court may strike from a 10 pleading an insufficient defense." Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(f). “Under Rule 8 of the Federal Rules of 11 Civil Procedure, an affirmative defense must be pled with the minimal specificity to give the 12 plaintiff ‘fair notice’ of the defense.” Advanced Cardio, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11700, at *9-10; 13 see also Qarbon.com, 315 F. Supp. 2d at 1049 (N.D. Cal. 2004) (striking affirmative defenses 14 and stating, “[defendant’s] affirmative defenses fail to provide ‘fair notice’ of what the defense is 15 and the grounds upon which it rests”); see also Sprint Communications Co., L.P. v. 16 Thegolbe.com, Inc., 233 F.R.D. 615, 619 (D. Kan. 2006) (striking affirmative defense which 17 stated “[defendant] is informed and believes that [plaintiff’s seven patents], and each of the 18 seven claims thereof, are invalid, void and/or unenforceable under one or more of the sections of 19 Title 35 of the United States Code.” In this Circuit, the “key to determining the sufficiency of 20 pleading an affirmative defense is whether it gives plaintiff fair notice of the defenses.” Ramos 21 Oil Recyclers, Inc., 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 62608, at *3 (citing Wyshak, 607 F.2d at 827). 22 Google's amended counterclaim for invalidity clearly does not meet the requirements of 23 Rule 8, does not provide IconFind fair notice of Google's counterclaim and cannot withstand a 24 Rule 12(b)(6) challenge. Likewise, Google's amended affirmative defense added minimal legal - 10 - 25 PLAINTIFF ICONFIND, INC.'S MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF ITS MOTION TO DISMISS PURSUANT TO 26 FRCP 12(B)(6) AND MOTION TO STRIKE PURSUANT TO FRCP 12(F) 1 language which does nothing to clarify its allegations, particularly concerning its Section 102 2 and 103 contentions and states as follows: 3 14. The claims of the ’459 patent are invalid under 35 U.S.C. § 101 because they fail to claim patentable subject matter insofar as each seeks to claim an abstract idea. 4 15. The claims of the ’459 patent are invalid because they fail to meet the “conditions for patentability” of 35 USC §§ 102, 103, and/or 112 because the claims lack utility; are taught by, suggested by, and/or obvious in view of, the prior art; and/or are not adequately supported by the written description of the patented invention. 5 6 7 (Def's First Amended Answer, Dkt. No. 27, ¶ 14-15, Exhibit A). Google's amended affirmative 8 defense fails to provide fair notice of the defense or the factual grounds on which it rests and, 9 therefore, should be stricken on those bases. Like Google's deficient counterclaim, Google's 10 amended affirmative defense on patent invalidity prejudices IconFind because it unfairly allows 11 Google additional time to develop its theories, and forces IconFind to use the expensive and time 12 consuming discovery process to extract Google's invalidity theories which should have been 13 pled. 14 V. 15 WHEREFORE, IconFind respectfully requests that the Court grant its motion to dismiss 16 Google's amended counterclaim of patent invalidity (Count Two) pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) and 17 grant its motion to strike Google's amended affirmative defense of patent invalidity (Second 18 Defense) pursuant to Rule 12(f). CONCLUSION Respectfully submitted, 19 20 /s/ Anna B. Folgers NIRO, HALLER & NIRO Raymond P. Niro (Pro hac vice) RNiro@nshn.com Raymond P. Niro, Jr. (Pro hac vice) RNiroJr@nshn.com Brian E. Haan (Pro hac vice) BHaan@nshn.com Anna B. Folgers (Pro hac vice) 23 WILKE, FLEURY, HOFFELT, GOULD & BIRNEY, LLP Thomas G. Redmon (SBN 47090) TRedmon@wilkefleury.com Daniel L. Baxter (SBN 203862) DBaxter@wilkefleury.com 24 Attorneys for Plaintiff IconFind, Inc. 25 PLAINTIFF ICONFIND, INC.'S MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF ITS MOTION TO DISMISS PURSUANT TO 21 22 - 11 26 FRCP 12(B)(6) AND MOTION TO STRIKE PURSUANT TO FRCP 12(F) 1 AFolgers@nshn.com 2 Attorneys for Plaintiff IconFind, Inc. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 - 12 25 26 PLAINTIFF ICONFIND, INC.'S MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF ITS MOTION TO DISMISS PURSUANT TO FRCP 12(B)(6) AND MOTION TO STRIKE PURSUANT TO FRCP 12(F) 1 2 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE The undersigned hereby certifies that on April 18, 2011 the foregoing 3 4 PLAINTIFF ICONFIND, INC.'S MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF ITS MOTION TO DISMISS PURSUANT TO FRCP 12(B)(6) AND MOTION TO STRIKE PURSUANT TO FRCP 12(F) 5 6 was filed with the Clerk of Court using the CM/ECF system, which will then send a notification of such filing to the following counsel of record. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Michael J. Malecek Michael.malecek@kayescholer.com Kaye Scholer LLP Two Palo Alto Square, Suite 400 3000 El Camino Real Palo Alto, California 94306 Telephone: (650 319-4500 Facsimile: (650) 319-4700 Attorneys for Defendant Google Inc. I certify that all parties in this case are represented by counsel who are CM/ECF participants. 14 15 16 /s/ Anna B. Folgers Attorney for Plaintiff 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 PLAINTIFF ICONFIND, INC.'S MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF ITS MOTION TO DISMISS PURSUANT TO FRCP 12(B)(6) AND MOTION TO STRIKE PURSUANT TO FRCP 12(F)

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