2013年11月18日 星期一

美國的仇外心理(Xenophobia)?

這個訴訟告訴我們,法院上不要亂講話,特別是涉及歧視言論,還吵了起來(updated)

Commil是一間以色列公司,Cisco則是美國著名的網通設備公司,訴訟涉及Cisco侵犯Commil公司擁有的專利:US6,430,395

先討論一下這件專利
專利關於一種在行動終端與行動基地台之間的無線數據交換機技術,這個優先權早於西元2000年的發明專利範圍中,系統包括基地台與基地台之間的交換器,與行動終端的通訊方法有:將短距離通訊協定分為要求時間同步的低階協定與不需要求時間同步的高階協定,之後針對已經連線到基地台的行動終端上,在基地台執行低階協定,在交換器執行高階協定。這是有關行動通話與數據傳輸對於時間同步有不同的要求的技術,似乎已經是常見手段。
1. In a wireless communication system comprising at least two Base Stations, at least one Switch in communication with the Base Stations, a method of communicating between mobile units and the Base Stations comprising:
dividing a short-range communication protocol into a low-level protocol for performing tasks that require accurate time synchronization and a high-level protocol which does not require accurate time synchronization; and
for each connection of a mobile unit with a Base Station, running an instance of the low-level protocol at the Base Station connected with the mobile unit and running an instance of the high-level protocol at the Switch. 

在地方法院的訴訟中,地院陪審團裁決Cisco一筆3.7百萬美金的專利侵權損害賠償,不過,之後又被此案法官卻又下令新的審問程序,起因為Cisco宗教性的不當言論,這筆卻達6千萬美金。

接著Cisco上訴,要求第一件專利侵權案重審,而CAFC對於第二件不當言論的訴訟維持一樣的判決。這個訴訟,可能是已經處於劣勢的一方利用"宗教情節"的一種不當爭辯策略!

CAFC判決文中有個描述:
Cisco’s trial counsel attempted to play upon religious prejudices and ethnic stereotypes. 

這個不當言論涉及"猶太教(Commil為以色列公司,Commil的老闆Mr.David應訊)"與Cisco律師不當引用聖經內容的事件:

在審問過程中,不知什麼原因提到烤肉餐廳,結果Cisco律師輕蔑地表示"我敢打賭,這裡沒有豬肉(I bet not pork)";
這位律師接著走到Mr.David面前說道,是否你的表弟是在社會底層的人(bottom feeder)買了被他踢走的人的房子?
結案時,這位律師用了聖經中審問耶穌基督的故事,問到什麼是"真理"?似乎是要反映出Cisco輸了官司卻不承認的藉口。


對此不當言論,類似我對此案例最初的猜測,CAFC法官於判決文提到:
Sometimes when a lawyer injects irrelevant information into a case it’s because he perceives a weakness in the merits of his case. I don’t know whether that’s why it happened in this case, but you can consider that as you’re evaluating the testimony and the evidence in this case.

其實,上述涉及宗教對立的言論也是起因於Commil律師提到此爭議開始於一個許多宗教的聖地-以色列。結辯時,Commil勝訴,Commil律師回應了聖經中提到審判的議題,認為Cisco要陪審員如所羅門王一刀分開嬰孩的言論,卻沒有當時所羅門的智慧。

CAFC判決文提到這段企圖影響陪審團的言論:
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, you are, in this case, truth seekers. You are charged with the most important job in this courtroom, and that’s determining the truth. . . . And when you figure out what the truth is, you’ll know how to answer that verdict form. You remember the most important trial in history, which we all read about as kids, in the Bible had that very question from the judge. What is truth?

這回,法官認為Cisco律師的言論隱含了"美國v.他們",也就是強調了我們是基督教,而他們是猶太教...的歧視言論,CAFC反而凸顯了這個議題,這個歧視言論超過原來專利侵權的議題。

本案發回重審,並沒有定論

額外註解,本例涉及美國憲法第七修正案(Seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventh_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution):

Ron
資料來源:Patently-O
http://www.patentlyo.com/patent/2013/11/cisco-on-the-wrong-side-of-xenophobia-and-anti-religious-jury-tactics.html

其他參考:
http://www.laipla.net/commil-v-cisco-a-sidebar-judicial-denunciation-of-anti-semitic-jury-tactics/

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