Arunachalam v. Citizens Financial Group Inc.

Filing 123

MEMORANDUM ORDER Denying (38 in 13-cv-1812-RGA, 47 in 14-cv-91-RGA, 119 in 12-cv-355-RGA, 39 in 14-cv-373-RGA, 35 in 1:14-cv-00495-RGA) MOTION To Expedite Decision On All Current Motions Pending In Above Cases, filed by Lakshmi Arunachalam. The Cou rt sua sponte STAYS Civil Action 13-1812-RGA and 14-495-RGA (see Memorandum Order for further details). Signed by Judge Richard G. Andrews on 3/19/2015. Associated Cases: 1:12-cv-00355-RGA, 1:13-cv-01812-RGA, 1:14-cv-00091-RGA, 1:14-cv-00373-RGA, 1:14-cv-00495-RGA(nms)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF DELAWARE

PI-NET INTERNATIONAL INC.,
Plaintiff,

v.

Civil Action No. 12-355-RGA

CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.,
Defendant.

PI-NET INTERNATIONAL INC.,
Plaintiff,

v.

Civil Action No. 13-1812-RGA

WELLS FARGO BANK N.A.,
Defendant.

PI-NET INTERNATIONAL INC.,
Plaintiff,
v.

Civil Action No. 14-91-RGA

KRON OS INCORPORATED,
Defendant.

PI-NET INTERNATIONAL INC.,
Plaintiff,
v.

Civil Action No. 14-373-RGA

CITIGROUP, INC., et al.,
Defendants.

PI-NET INTERNATIONAL INC.,
Plaintiff,

v.

Civil Action No. 14-495-RGA

PAYDAY ONE, LLC, et al.,
Defendants.

MEMORANDUM ORDER
In five related cases, I have now substituted Dr. Lakshmi Arunachalam as Plaintiff.
In each of the cases, there is a motion to expedite decision on all current motions pending
in above cases. (No. 12-355-RGA, D.I. 119; 13-1812-RGA, D.I. 38; No. 14-91-RGA, D.I. 47;
No. 14-373-RGA, D.I. 39; No. 14-495-RGA, D.I. 35). 1
Pi-Net filed No. 12-355 on March 19, 2012, asserting the '500, '158, and '492 patents
against Citizens Financial Group, Inc. On June 21, 2013, I stayed the case in light of pending
CBM review of the three asserted patents. (D.1. 82). The case remains stayed. Pi-Net filed No.
13-1812 on November 1, 2013, asserting the '500 and '492 patents against Wells Fargo &

1

Unless otherwise indicated, docket item citations are to the record in No. 12-355.

Company. About the time I might have held a scheduling conference, Judge Robinson decided
on May 14, 2014, in Pi-Net v. J.P. Morgan, No. 12-282-SLR, that the '500, '158, and '492
patent claims were invalid. (No. 12-282-SLR, D.I. 165 & 166). There has thus been no
substantive progress in the No. 13-1812 case, although it has not been formally stayed. In No.
14-91, Pi-Net filed a case on January 22, 2014, against Kronos Inc., asserting the '500, '492,
'833, and '894 patents. While preliminary motions were pending, the parties stipulated to a stay
pending resolution of the appeal from the JP. Morgan case. (No. 14-91-RGA, D.I. 14). I
granted the stay. In No. 14-373, Pi-Net filed suit against Citigroup, Inc. on March 24, 2014,
asserting the '500 and '492 patents. On June 17, 2014, the parties agreed to stay the case, which
I granted. (No. 14-373-RGA, D.I. 9). In No. 14-495, on April 18, 2014, Pi-Net filed suit against
Payday One LLC, asserting the '500, '492, and '894 patents. Defendant has answered the
complaint, but there has been no further substantive progress on the case.
I do not believe that there are now any pending motions that need to be decided. As
noted above, three of the cases have been stayed. (Nos. 12-355-RGA, 14-91-RGA, and 14-373RGA). Four pf the five asserted patents have had their claims either ruled invalid or are subject
to review in the PTO. The fifth patent is only asserted in the Kronos case, which has already
been stayed. Thus, I will sua sponte STAY the 13-1812 and 14-495 cases. The pending JP.
Morgan appeal and the PTO actions are likely to result in simplification. All of these cases are in

the preliminary stages. There is no unfair prejudice to Plaintiff, who as far as I know is not a
competitor with any of the Defendants.
The motions to expedite (No. 12-355-RGA, D.I. 119; 13-1812-RGA, D.I. 38; No. 14-91-

RGA, D.I. 47; No. 14-373-RGA, D.I. 39; No. 14-495-RGA, D.I. 35) are DENIED. Any party
may move to lift the stay (or partially lift the stay) once the United States Court of Appeals for
the Federal Circuit has decided the J.P. Morgan appeal.

Wilmington, Delaware
March .!i_, 2015