Function Media, L.L.C. v. Google, Inc. et al

Filing 440

RESPONSE to Motion re 406 SEALED MOTION for Judgment as a Matter of Law Regarding Damages filed by Function Media, L.L.C.. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Tribble, Max)

Function Media, L.L.C. v. Google, Inc. et al

Doc. 440

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS MARSHALL DIVISION FUNCTION MEDIA, L.L.C., Plaintiff, vs. GOOGLE, INC. AND YAHOO, INC., Defendants. § § § § § § § § §

Civil Action No. 2007-CV-279

JURY TRIAL DEMANDED

FUNCTION MEDIA'S RESPONSE TO GOOGLE'S MOTION FOR JUDGMENT AS A MATTER OF LAW REGARDING DAMAGES Funct ion Media LLC ("FM") hereby responds to Google, Inc.'s ("Google") Motion for Judgment as a Matter of Law Regarding Damages. In light of the jury's January 26, 2009 verdict, this Court should deny Google's motion as moot. The advisory notes to the 1991 amendment to Rule 50 make clear that a jury verdict for the moving party renders that party's motion for judgment as a matter of law moot. ("Often it appears to the court or to the moving party that a motion for judgment as a matter of law made at the close of the evidence should be reserved for a post-verdict decision. This is so because a jury verdict for the moving party moots the issue . . . ."); see also EMI Music Marketing v. Avatar Records, Inc., 364 F. Supp. 2d 337, 342 (S.D.N.Y. 2005) (holding that moving party's motion for judgment as a matter of law is rendered moot by jury verdict in moving party's favor). Accordingly, there are no issues raised in Google's Motion for Judgment as a Matter of Law Regarding Damages that require a decision.1
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To be clear, FM contends that the jury reached its verdict in error. FM will move for a new trial within the time period permitted under Rule 59.

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Respect fully submitted,

/s/ Max L. Tribble, Jr.___________________ Max L. Tribble, Jr. State Bar No. 20213950 Email: [e-mail] SUSMAN GODFREY L.L.P. 1000 Louisiana, Suite 5100 Houston, Texas, 77002 Telephone: [phone] Facsimile: [phone] Lead Attorney for Plaintiff OF COUNSEL: Joseph S. Grinstein State Bar No. 24002188 Aimée Robert State Bar No. 24046729 SUSMAN GODFREY L.L.P. 1000 Louisiana Street, Suite 5100 Houston, Texas 77002-5096 Telephone: [phone] Fax: [phone] [e-mail] m [e-mail] m Jeremy Brandon State Bar No. 24040563 Warren T. Burns State Bar No. 24053119 SUSMAN GODFREY L.L.P. 901 Main Street, Suite 5100 Dallas, Texas 75202-3775 Telephone: [phone] Fax: [phone] [e-mail] m [e-mail] Just in A. Nelson State Bar No. 24034766 SUSMAN GODFREY L.L.P.

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1201 Third Avenue, Suite 3800 Seattle, Washington 98101-3000 Telephone: [phone] Fax: [phone] [e-mail] Robert Christopher Bunt State Bar No. 00787165 Charles Ainsworth PARKER, BUNT & AINSWORTH, P.C. 100 East Ferguson, Suite 1114 Tyler, Texas 75702 Telephone: [phone] Fax: [phone] [e-mail] charley@pbat yler.com S. Calvin Capshaw State Bar No. 037839000 Elizabeth L. DeRieux State Bar No. 05770585 D. Jeffrey Rambin CAPSHAW DERIEUX, LLP Energy Centre 1127 Judson Road, Suite 220 P.O. Box 3999 (75606-3999) Longview, Texas 75601-5157 Telephone: [phone] Fax: [phone] [e-mail] [e-mail] m [e-mail] Otis Carroll State Bar No. 03895700 Collin Maloney State Bar No. 00794219 IRELAND, CARROLL & KELLEY, P.C. 6101 S. Broadway, Suite 500 Tyler, Texas 75703 Telephone: [phone] Fax: [phone] [e-mail] cmalo [e-mail]

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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that on February 9, 2009, I electronically filed the foregoing document with the clerk of the court for the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas, using the electronic filing system of the court. The electronic case filing system sent a "Notice of Electronic Filing" to the attorneys of record who have consented in writing to accept this Notice as service of this document by electronic means. /s/ Max L. Tribble, Jr.___________________ Max L. Tribble, Jr.

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