Bedrock Computer Technologies, LLC v. Softlayer Technologies, Inc. et al

Filing 589

Opposed MOTION for Leave to File Defendants Motion for Leave to Exceed Ten Motions in Limine by AOL Inc, Amazon.com Inc., Google Inc., Match.Com LLC, MySpace Inc., Softlayer Technologies, Inc., Yahoo! Inc.. (Attachments: #1 Text of Proposed Order)(Bright, Christopher)

Bedrock Computer Technologies, LLC v. Softlayer Technologies, Inc. et al

Doc. 589

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS TYLER DIVISION BEDROCK COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES LLC, Plaintiff, v. SOFTLAYER TECHNOLOGIES, INC., et al., Defendants. ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )

CASE NO. 6:09­CV­00269 Hon. John D. Love

JURY TRIAL DEMANDED

MOTION FOR LEAVE TO EXCEED TEN MOTIONS IN LIMINE Defendants SoftLayer Technologies, Inc., Yahoo! Inc., Google, Inc., MySpace, Inc., Amazon.com Inc., Match.com LLC and AOL Inc. (collectively "Defendants") file this opposed Motion for Leave to Exceed Ten Motions in Limine. In anticipation of the Pre-Trial conference scheduled for March 24, 2011, Defendants have worked diligently with each other and with Plaintiff Bedrock Computer Technologies, LLC ("Bedrock") to appropriately condense and reduce the number of pre-trial disputes this Court will be asked to resolve. Nonetheless, despite good faith efforts, Defendants have not been able to agree on just ten issues that they request be kept from the jury. Accordingly, Defendants seek leave to file sixteen (16) total Motions in Limine to resolve these issues for both trials.1

As elected by Bedrock on March 10, 2011, Defendants Google, Inc. and Match.com LLC will proceed to trial on April 11, 2011. Upon completion of that trial, Defendants Softlayer Technologies, Inc., Yahoo! Inc., MySpace, Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and AOL Inc. will proceed to trial "as soon thereafter as the Court's business permits." See Doc. No. 540.

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Dockets.Justia.com

Defendants fully appreciate instructions previously given by this Court that parties are to "make their best efforts to resolve all of their disputes in a mutually agreeable manner prior to requesting the Court to resolve outstanding disputes at Pre-Trial." Konami v. Harmonix, No. 6:08-cv-286, slip op. at *2 (E.D. Tex. Mar. 16, 2010). Defendants additionally appreciate the Court's intent behind limiting the number of Motions of Limine to a manageable number. In order for each party to adequately represent its interests, however, there is a decided need for additional Motions in Limine so as to have guidance and certainty heading into trial. This is not a situation where there is one plaintiff and one defendant. Instead, many of the issues that will be disputed at Pre-Trial are the direct result of having multiple defendants joined in a single action. The negotiations for the Motions in Limine are further complicated by the reality that Defendants' Motions in Limine must suffice for two trials that will engage different jurors, with each trial having its own themes and factual circumstances. Defendants respectfully request that the Court provide rulings "on matters for which the parties cannot reach agreement." See Konami v. Harmonix, No. 6:08-cv-286, slip op. at *2 (E.D. Tex. Mar. 16, 2010). In turn, Defendants will endeavor to "work with local counsel to formulate a trial plan with a reasonable number of witnesses and exhibits to be presented to the jury at trial, as well as to make their best efforts to resolve any foreseeable disputes before the Court's involvement at the Pre-Trial stage." See id. For the foregoing reasons, Defendants Motion for Leave to Exceed Ten Motions in Limine should be granted.

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Dated: March 14, 2011

/s/ Christopher D. Bright Christopher D. Bright Fay E. Morisseau (Texas Bar No. 14460750) [e-mail] John C. Low (Texas Bar No. 24050960) [e-mail] MCDERMOTT WILL & EMERY LLP 1000 Louisiana, Suite 1300 Houston, TX 77002 Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] Yar R. Chaikovsky [e-mail] John A. Lee [e-mail] Bryan K. James [e-mail] MCDERMOTT WILL & EMERY LLP 275 Middlefield Rd., Suite 100 Menlo Park, CA 94025 Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] Christopher D. Bright [e-mail] MCDERMOTT WILL & EMERY LLP 18191 Von Karman Ave, Ste. 500 Irvine, California 92612 Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] Natalie A. Bennett [e-mail] MCDERMOTT WILL & EMERY LLP 227 West Monroe Chicago, IL 60614 Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] Jennifer Doan Texas Bar No. 08809050 [e-mail] J. Scott Andrews Texas Bar No. 24064823

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[e-mail] HALTOM & DOAN Crown Executive Center, Suite 100 6500 Summerhill Rd. Texarkana, Texas 75503 Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] ATTORNEYS FOR DEFENDANT YAHOO! INC.

/s/ Michael E. Jones (with permission) Michael E. Jones State Bar No. 10929400 Allen Gardner State Bar No. 24043679 Patrick C. Clutter State Bar No. 24036374 Potter Minton, P.C. 110 N. College Ave., Ste. 500 Tyler, Texas 75702 Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] [e-mail] [e-mail] [e-mail] Claude M. Stern [e-mail] Evette D. Pennypacker [e-mail] Todd M. Briggs [e-mail] Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan 555 Twin Dolphin Dr., 5th Floor Redwood Shores, CA 94065 650/801-5002 Fax: [phone] ATTORNEYS FOR DEFENDANT GOOGLE INC. AND MATCH.COM, LLC.

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/s/ Alan L. Whitehurst (with permission) Alan L. Whitehurst [e-mail] Marissa R. Ducca [e-mail] Thomas W Davison [e-mail] ALSTON & BIRD LLP The Atlantic Building 950 F Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20004 Telephone: [phone] Facsimile: [phone] Jason Woodard Cook [e-mail] Michael J. Newton [e-mail] Stacey Garrett White [e-mail] Alston & Bird, LLP 2200 Ross Ave., Ste. 3601 Dallas, TX 75201 214/922-3407 Fax: [phone] Frank G. Smith [e-mail] ALSTON & BIRD LLP One Atlantic Center 1201 West Peachtree Street Atlanta, GA 30309 Telephone: [phone] Facsimile: [phone] Louis A Karasik [e-mail] Rachel M Capoccia [e-mail] Alston & Bird LLP - Los Angeles 333 South Hope Street, 16th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90071 213/576-1000 Fax: [phone]

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Michael E. Jones State Bar No. 10929400 Potter Minton, P.C. 110 N. College Ave., Ste. 500 Tyler, Texas 75702 Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] [e-mail] ATTORNEYS FOR DEFENDANTS MYSPACE INC. AND AOL INC.

/s/ E. Danielle T. Williams (with permission) Steven Gardner [e-mail] E. Danielle T. Williams [e-mail] Alton Absher, III [e-mail] John C. Alemanni [e-mail] KILPATRICK STOCKTON LLP 1001 West 4th Street Winston-Salem, NC 27104 Telephone: [phone] Fax: [phone] Russell A. Korn [e-mail] William H. Boice [e-mail] KILPATRICK STOCKTON LLP 1100 Peachtree St., Ste 2800 Atlanta, GA 30309-4530 Telephone: [phone] Fax: [phone]

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CERTIFICATE OF CONFERENCE Counsel for Yahoo! conferred via electronic mail and on the telephone with counsel for Bedrock concerning all matters relating to the Motions in Limine filed herein. Bedrock opposes this Motion.

/s/ Christopher D. Bright Christopher D/ Bright

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I HEREBY CERTIFY that on March 14, 2011, all counsel of record for Plaintiff who have or are deemed to have consented to electronic service are being served with a copy of this document via electronic mail.

/s/ Chrisopher D. Bright Christopher D. Bright

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DM_US 27844841-1.049256.0026