Cordance Corp. v. Amazon.com, Inc.
Cordance Corp. v. Amazon.com, Inc.
Opinion of the Court
MEMORANDUM ORDER
Amazon moves to strike portions
Federal Rule of Evidence 702 recites:
If scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge will assist the trier of fact to understand the evidence or to determine a fact in issue, a witness qualified as an expert by knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education, may testify thereto in the form of an opinion or otherwise, if (1) the testimony is based upon sufficient facts or data, (2) the testimony is the product of reliable principles and methods, and (3) the witness has applied the principles and methods reliably to the facts of the case.
For expert testimony to be admissible, the proponent must show by a preponderance of the evidence that: (1) the expert is qualified; (2) the testimony is reliable; and (3) the testimony is relevant to the case.
“A sham affidavit is a contradictory affidavit that indicates only that the affiant cannot maintain a consistent story or is willing to offer a statement solely for the purpose of defeating summary judgment.”
“[A] party may not create a material issue of fact to defeat summary judgment by filing an affidavit disputing his or her own sworn testimony without demonstrating a plausible explanation for the conflict.... When a party does not explain the contradiction between the subsequent affidavit and the prior deposition, the alleged factual issue in dispute can be perceived as a “sham,” thereby not creating an impediment to a grant of summary judgment based on the deposition.5
The doctrine does not apply where “the affiant was ‘understandably’ mistaken, confused, ... not in possession of all the facts during the previous deposition ... [or] offers a ‘satisfactory explanation’ for the conflict.”
On December 15 and 16, 2008, Amazon deposed Reed, an inventor on each of Cor-dance’s patents-in-suit and Cordance’s 30(b)(6) witness. Amazon contends that during his deposition, Reed testified that he was not qualified to answer questions pertaining to infringement or validity of Cordance’s patents. In contrast, the Second Reed Declaration filed in opposition
Cordance maintains that each of Amazon’s arguments is without merit. It contends that Reed’s technical expertise in the relevant art indisputably qualifies him to provide expert opinion concerning infringement, validity, and written description support. Cordance contends that, as the inventor on the patents in question, Reed is presumptively qualified, and that his fifteen years of experience in the industry further establish his qualifications.
Finally, Cordance contends Amazon’s argument that Reed’s declaration must be stricken because he did not state in his declaration that he applied the court’s claim constructions is both legally and factually incorrect. Cordance states that Reed expressly applied the court’s claim constructions in his declaration, but even if he had not, that failure would not be a basis for striking his declaration.
At the pretrial conference, Cordance represented that Reed would not be used at trial to testify regarding the “ultimate opinion” on infringement or invalidity.
Reed’s Reliance on the Court’s Claim Construction
The court first addresses Amazon’s alternative argument for striking Reed’s declaration. Amazon contends that, even if Reed is qualified and his declaration testimony did not contradict his deposition testimony, there is no evidence that Reed reviewed and consistently applied the court’s claim construction in formulating his opinion. Amazon contends that Reed did not explicitly state that he reviewed the court’s claim construction order, or whether he applied it for purposes of his written description opinion or his invalidity analysis. Amazon also avers that “there is no reference to the Court’s claim constructions in his declaration.”
Moreover, Cordance maintains that Amazon is factually incorrect in asserting that Reed did not rely on the court’s claim construction and that it was not referenced in his declaration. For instance, Reed’s declaration states expressly that the court “construed the term ‘feedback’ information to mean ‘evaluation attributes and corresponding value choices,’ ”
The court, agrees with Cordance that Amazon’s claim construction argument is insufficient to strike the Second Reed Declaration.
Qualification to Provide Infringement and Validity Opinion
Reed is an inventor on each of Cor-dance’s patents-in-suit. The Federal Circuit has stated that “[a]n inventor is a competent witness to explain the invention and what was intended to be conveyed by the specification and covered by the claims.... The Supreme Court in Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 509 U.S. 579, 113 S.Ct. 2786, 125 L.Ed.2d 469 ... (1993) instructed trial judges to exclude scientifically unqualified witnesses, not those with superior qualifications.”
The testimony of the inventor may also provide background information, including explanation of the problems that existed at the time the invention was made and the inventor’s solution to these problems.
Amazon does not dispute the general proposition that an inventor is a competent expert witness. It argues in this case, however, that Reed disclaimed that expertise during his deposition. For instance, when questioned as to whether the Amazon’s accused shopping-cart system used his invention Reed testified:
Q. Is Amazon’s shopping-cart system using your invention where you go*482 through the steps and then click on the confirm-order button?
% %
A. I don’t think I’m — I can characterize in black and white whether that does or doesn’t use the invention.
Q. What don’t you understand?
A. It’s not so much what I understand as it requires me to define what is and is not the invention. And I know, you know, what — documented as the invention, what’s written in the specifications of the patent. I don’t know how to characterize — I’m not a lawyer. I don’t know how to characterize what is or isn’t the invention.15
When questioned about whether a certain prior art reference contained asserted claim elements, Reed testified:
Q. You don’t have any doubt that this [prior art] document describes Step B of the first method, do you, sir?
A. I don’t feel qualified to say whether it describes Step B of the method.
Q. What don’t you understand about providing the customer with the information from the seller with respect to an item?
A. That calls for interpreting patent claims which in the context of another system, it’s just not my expertise.16
When questioned regarding the scope of claims for purposes of written description, Reed testified:
Q. So who receives the indication from the customer to initiate the purchase transaction? Is that the payment service object in the customer’s computer or is that something else?
A. I’m not a patent attorney, so the interpretation of that language of the claim as to what specifically it maps to I don’t feel qualified to answer. I’m pointing you to the supporting areas of the specification as I understand them.17
Amazon contrasts Reed’s deposition testimony with opinions in the Second Reed Declaration purporting to opine on the ultimate issues of validity and infringement:
[I]t is my understanding and belief that the '710 claims are not invalid for any of the reasons suggested by Amazon or put forth by Dr. Alvisi. Furthermore, it is my understanding and belief that all of Amazon’s feedback systems include “feedback information” as recited in the asserted claims of the '325 and '717 patent and as construed by the Court.18
In alleged contradiction to his deposition testimony, Amazon points out that Reed’s Second Declaration contains his opinions that Amazon’s accused feedback products infringe claims of the '325 and '717 patents,
With regard to Reed’s deposition answers cited by Amazon, Cordance explains that Amazon asked him several questions designed to elicit legal conclusions. Al
Moreover, Cordance contends that Reed’s declaration is consistent with his prior testimony. It notes three portions of Reed’s deposition testimony that Amazon argues are inconsistent with his later declaration: (1) testimony regarding whether Amazon’s shopping cart system infringes Cordance’s patents, (2) testimony regarding whether a particular item of prior art, the CompuServe system, invalidates Cor-dance’s patents, and (3) testimony concerning the written description support for Cordance’s patents. Cordance avers that nowhere does Reed’s declaration conflict with any of that testimony. First, Cor-dance maintains that Reed’s declaration does not make any statement concerning whether Amazon’s shopping cart system infringes Cordance’s patents and that the only statement in Reed’s declaration concerning infringement relate to whether Amazon’s feedback systems infringe Cor-dance’s patents.
Contrary to Cordance’s argument, the case law it cites does not state that an inventor is inherently qualified to testify on invalidity and infringement, which Cor-dance argues involve legal conclusions of which Reed demurred during his deposition as outside of his expertise.
In light of the discussions during the pretrial conference, the qualifications/limitations Cordance imposed on Reed’s testimony at trial regarding infringement and invalidity, and the direction provided by the court concerning what Reed would be allowed to testify to at trial, IT IS ORDERED that Reed’s Second Declaration will not be considered by the court on the motions for summary judgment to determine the ultimate opinion or conclusion on infringement and invalidity.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that although the court does not find Reed’s declaration to constitute a sham affidavit, it is troubled by some of the responses, or lack thereof, by Reed during his deposition and, consequently will permit Amazon to redepose Reed on the limited topics raised in its motion to strike and in limine motion.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that in light of the findings herein and during the pretrial conference, Amazon’s motion to strike (D.I. 367) is MOOT.
. In its opening brief, Amazon requested that Reed’s second declaration should be excluded in its entirety. D.I. 368 at 1. In its reply brief, Amazon asked the court to "strike those portions of his declaration which address topics for which he disclaimed expertise and the ability to testify at his deposition.” D.I. 387 at 1. In that brief, Amazon alternatively requests an opportunity to re-depose Reed on the topics of invalidity and infringement should the court decline to strike Reed’s Second Declaration. Id. at 6.
. In its opposition to Amazon’s motion, Cor-dance contends that Amazon is seeking to
. Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharms., Inc., 509 U.S. 579, 597, 113 S.Ct. 2786, 125 L.Ed.2d 469 (1993); Calhoun v. Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., 350 F.3d 316, 321 (3d Cir. 2003).
. Jiminez v. All Am. Rathskeller, Inc., 503 F.3d 247, 253 (3d Cir. 2007).
. Baer v. Chase, 392 F.3d 609, 624 (3d Cir. 2004) (citations omitted).
. Jiminez v. All A. Rathskeller, Inc., 503 F.3d 247, 254 (3d Cir. 2007) (citing Baer, 392 F.3d at 625; Hackman v. Valley Fair, 932 F.2d 239, 241 (3d Cir. 1991)).
. See Voice Techs. Group, Inc. v. VMC Sys., Inc., 164 F.3d 605, 615 (Fed.Cir. 1999) (“An inventor is a competent witness to explain the invention and what was intended to be covered by the specification and covered by the claims.”); Markman v. Westview Instruments, Inc., 52 F.3d 967, 991 (Fed.Cir. 1995) (“The inventor himself may qualify as an expert.”).
. D.I. 368 at 7.
. See Advanced Med. Optics, Inc. v. Alcon Labs., Inc., No 03-1095, 2005 WL 3454283, at *2 (D.Del. Dec. 16, 2005) (rejecting an argument requiring an expert "to explain the claim construction language and to testify explicitly in terms of that language” and noting the absence of any case law "requiring that structural formality.”).
. D.I. 341, ¶ 14.
. Id.n 15-25.
. Id. ¶ 37.
. The court also notes that Amazon did not respond to Cordance’s opposition to this topic in its reply brief.
. Voice Techs. Group, Inc., 164 F.3d at 615-16; see also Markman, 52 F.3d at 991 ("The inventor himself may qualify as an expert.”).
. D.I. 368, Ex. A at 58:5-19 (Dec. 15, 2008 Reed Dep. Tr.) (emphasis added).
. D.I. 368, Ex. A at 196:14-197:2 (emphasis added). The prior art that was the subject of this line of questioning was the "CompuServe system.” See id.., Ex. A at 196:4-5; 1977-11.
. D.I. 368, Ex. A at 235:14-22 (emphasis added).
. D.I. 341, ¶ 13.
. Id.,n 14-25.
. Id., ¶¶ 26-35 & Ex. A.
. Id.,n 36-52.
. Id., ¶¶ 14-25.
. 7d. ¶¶ 36-52.
. Id. ¶¶ 26-35.
. Cordance argues that infringement, invalidity and written description inherently fall within the expertise of the inventor: at the same time, it maintains that conclusions in such areas are legal principles not inherently within the expertise of the inventor. The court does not find Cordance’s application of Federal Rule of Evidence 704 persuasive, nor pertinent in light of its qualifications on the purpose of Reed's testimony.
. See F.R.E. 701.
. As noted during the pretrial conference, although Cordance represented that Reed would provide a "factual foundation,” and questioned whether his intended testimony qualifies as opinion, because an inventor is one qualified or skilled in the art, due to such expertise the lines between fact and opinion are blurred. Because of the blurred nature of Reed’s proposed testimony, the court reserved judgment on the extent of his testimony allowed at trial.
.Cordance represents that Reed now has an understanding of the relevant applicable legal principles.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- CORDANCE CORPORATION v. AMAZON.COM, INC.
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published