2020年8月5日 星期三

放部電腦不足以形成犯罪地點(venue)- In re Google (Fed. Cir. 2020)

這裡提到的犯罪地點(venue)為侵權行為發生地,美國各"地方"法院都有自己的轄區(jurisdiction),能夠管的事情就在這個轄區內,因此如果要提起任何訴訟,還要找到侵權行為所在地的管轄法院。

法院依據案例為:TC Heartland LLC v. Kraft Foods Group Brands LLC, 137 S. Ct. 1514 (2017),本部落格曾有報導:以企業據點決定管轄法院 - 美國最高法院TC Heartland LLC v. Kraft Food Group Brands LLC決定(https://enpan.blogspot.com/2017/05/tc-heartland-llc-v-kraft-food-group.html)。

在TC Heartland最高法院判決中,還涉及1957年的最高法院Fourco Glass Co. v. Transmirra Products Corp., 353 U.S. 222 (1957)案,最終指出,"As applied to domestic corporations, “residence” in §1400(b) refers only to the State of incorporation.  The amendments to §1391 did not modify the meaning of §1400(b) as interpreted by Fourco. ",如此,將來專利訴訟審理法院將可隨被告請求移到"居住地"/“企業據點",而不再讓原告指定/挑選對其有利的法院。

有關專利爭議的訴訟管轄法院需要是:(1)被告居住地,或設立公司的地點;或者(2)被告事業建立與形成侵權行為的所在地。

[相關法條]
28 U.S. Code § 1400.Patents and copyrights, mask works, and designs
(a)Civil actions, suits, or proceedings arising under any Act of Congress relating to copyrights or exclusive rights in mask works or designs may be instituted in the district in which the defendant or his agent resides or may be found
(b)Any civil action for patent infringement may be brought in the judicial district where the defendant resides, or where the defendant has committed acts of infringement and has a regular and established place of business.

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In re Google (Fed. Cir. 2020)

本案緣起Super Interconnect Techs向東德州地方法院提出Google公司侵權的訴訟(Super Interconnect Techs. LLC v. Google LLC (E.D. Tex. Aug. 7, 2019)),而Google反過來提出「不當管轄區」的撤銷訴訟請願(motion for dismissal for improper venue),意思是,Google不是德州的公司,也非上述1400法條規定在德州有正式與營業處(regular and established place of business)

經地院否決Google請願,Google對此議題續向CAFC提出缺乏管轄權的請願:petitions for a writ of mandamus ordering the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas to dismiss the case for lack of venue

編按,所述「 a writ of mandamus 」,可參考網路上找到的資訊:https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/123015/what-writ-mandamus.asp#:~:text=A%20writ%20of%20mandamus%20is%20a%20court%20order%20compelling%20someone,correct%20an%20abuse%20of%20discretion.,此令狀是一項法院命令,強迫某人執行其在法律上必須完成的義務;可用於命令下級法院或政府機構履行維護法律或糾正濫用酌處權的義務;可以在不完成司法程序或案件結案之前就作出此令狀(參考Google翻譯)。

其中爭議是,到底德州地方法院對Google的訴訟有否管轄權?Google的業務(編按,搜尋、廣告、智能、商店應該都是無遠弗屆)一定涵蓋到德州,甚至也會有伺服器(由當地ISP維運,不是Google自己)提供服務,甚至還在訴訟提起後移出德州。



那麼,本案德州法院到底對Google侵權案有司法管轄權?

Google在德州沒有正式與營業處,即便依照前例Cray指出所謂營業處是實體的所在,Google的伺服器是實體物,但非營業處(place of business);營業處的定義是有人(員工)在營運,但Google的AI不是人

"We conclude that a “regular and established place of business” requires the regular, physical presence of an employee or other agent of the defendant conducting the defendant’s business at the alleged “place of business.”"

看來法院意見是十分favor Google的。



因此,結論是,德州法院對Google侵權訴訟沒有管轄權。

"We conclude that the Eastern District of Texas was not a proper venue because Google lacked a “regular and established place of business” within the district since it has no employee or agent regularly conducting its business at its alleged “place of business” within the district."

這裡提到的Cray案(In re Cray, Inc., 871 F.3d 1355, 1360 (Fed. Cir. 2017))產生判斷被告是否屬於「regular and established place of business」的要素,形成Cray Factors:



my two cents:
本篇案例細節很多(美國法院特別對「法律」議題有滿滿的論述,常常不容易在短時間內消化),可以細查判決文,在此僅對有興趣的來筆記。

本案結論對Google這類以網路服務為主的公司十分有利,這是法律跟不上時代的案例之一,將來Google將「有人」工作的營業處放在海外,還是可以對美國本土提供服務與營利,還能迴避所有的侵權告訴!當然這是我的一個小小臆測而已。

判決文:
http://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/opinions-orders/19-126.Order.2-13-2020.1_1532629.pdf
另一份:https://www.finnegan.com/images/content/2/8/v3/284005/19126-InreGoogle.pdf

有關法院管轄地的相關案例:
- 被告的主場優勢 - 管轄權影響訴訟正當性討論 - In re OATH HOLDINGS, INC. (Fed. Cir. 2018)(https://enpan.blogspot.com/2018/11/in-re-oath-holdings-inc-fed-cir-2018.html
- 原告有責任在適當地點提出訴訟 - In re ZTE (Fed. Cir. May 14, 2018)(https://enpan.blogspot.com/2018/06/in-re-zte-fed-cir-may-14-2018.html
- 多數NPE侵權訴訟將移到Delaware(https://enpan.blogspot.com/2018/01/npedelaware.html
- 以企業據點決定管轄法院 - 美國最高法院TC Heartland LLC v. Kraft Food Group Brands LLC決定(https://enpan.blogspot.com/2017/05/tc-heartland-llc-v-kraft-food-group.html

資料參考:

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