In what is believed to be a precedent-setting opinion, the U.S. Federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Ultimax’s rapid-hardening cement patents and ruled against accused patent infringers CTS Cement and its owner, Edward K. Rice
Source: Ultimax Cement, Garden Grove, Calif.; CP staff
In what is believed to be a precedent-setting opinion, the U.S. Federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Ultimax’s rapid-hardening cement patents and ruled against accused patent infringers CTS Cement and its owner, Edward K. Rice. This decision overturns certain rulings from the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (Santa Ana), which appeared to have closed the case in January 2008 by invalidating the remaining patent infringement claims.
Ultimax and its CEO Hassan Kunbargi can proceed with certain claims against CTS and other defendants, including packaged-mix heavyweight Quikrete Cos., for infringement. In 2002, Ultimax sued CTS, Rice and their customers in federal district court for patent infringement for the previous 12 years. The plaintiff contended CTS’s flagship product, Rapid-Set Cement, infringed Ultimax’s rapid-hardening, high-strength cement patents. In 2005, the district court sided with CTS and held that Ultimax’s patents were invalid or not infringed; Ultimax appealed.
In a December 3 Appellate Court decision, other portions of the district court’s rulings were affirmed in part, dismissed in part, vacated in part, reversed in part, and remanded. The complete list of the appellate court’s decision can be found here.