Court Ruling Opens Research in Motion to Injunction

A US judge denied a request by the maker of the BlackBerry handheld computer, Research in Motion, to end a patent violation lawsuit that could have a devastating impact on its biggest market, as reported by Yahoo Newsthis afternoon.

US District Judge James Spencer ruled that a $450 million settlement of the lawsuit by US-based NTP Software was not “enforceable.”

The ruling opens the door for a possible injunction against Canadian-based RIM to stop selling and servicing the devices in the United States, where more than two million people use it for wireless e-mail and other functions.

In a statement, RIM says it expects NTP to ask the lower court “to enter a new injunction prohibiting RIM from providing BlackBerry service and from using, selling, manufacturing or importing its handhelds and software in the United States.” RIM said it would contest such an order, but adds that it has also “been preparing software workaround designs which it intends to implement if necessary to maintain the operation of BlackBerry services in the United States.”

–David Rosenbaum