Apple’s App Troll Suit Dismissed By District Court Judge

A district court judge in East Texas dealt a blow to Apple in its fight against a company that has sued nearly 200 app creators who use Apple technology. Apple, which has already paid to license Lodsys patents when they were owned by another company, argued that Lodsys’ frequent suits, or threats to sue to secure a settlement, have inhibited app developers, and it asked U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap to require Lodsys stop levying infringement claims against Apple and its customers. Gilstrap ruled that parties in the case could settle, however, which many developers did as a means to avoid hefty litigation bills. A few app developers, however, have decided to press on with their claims against Lodsys, including Martha Stuart Living Omnimedia.