Here are some links to some good stories on the judiciary committee hearing yesterday on patent trolls. We are working on a bigger post on this that will be up later today or Monday.
Corporate counsel push antitrust response to patent trolls
Thomson Reuters
March 15, 2013
David Ingram
Lawyers for major corporations told U.S. lawmakers they would welcome antitrust enforcement against so-called “patent trolls,” raising pressure to act against them just as antitrust enforcers are weighing their options. Derided by critics for causing a spike in patent litigation, the patent companies in question, known as trolls, specialize in buying up patents solely for the purpose of filing infringement suits or demanding licensing fees. Major corporations say they spend millions of dollars each year defending against the suits.
Tech companies tell Congress to target patent trolls
IDG News Service
March 15, 2013
Grant Gross
Congress needs to shut down so-called patent trolls whose infringement lawsuits are diverting company resources from hiring and research, a group of technology companies told lawmakers Thursday.
Anti-patent troll bill faces questions in U.S. hearing
Thomson Reuters
March 14, 2013
Diane Bartz
Lawmakers asked on Thursday whether a bill aimed at stopping abusive patent litigation that costs companies millions of
dollars each year could end up hurting legitimate companies whose inventions have been infringed. Cisco Systems Inc, Apple Inc, Google Inc and other tech powerhouses have been pushing for legislation that would reduce the number of times each year that they are sued for infringement by a “non-practicing entity,” a company that licenses patents as its business.
Congress must rein in ‘terrorist’ patent trolls, say senior executives
MLex
March 14, 2013
Senior tech and retail executives have urged a congressional committee to step in with legislation to discourage patent trolls pursuing their companies and end-users for questionable patent violations.’