Judge sets December hearing on Apple injunction vs Samsung

A U.S. judge on Tuesday set a December 6 court date to hear Apple Inc’s request for a permanent injunction against Samsung Electronics’ smartphones, which could delay the potential impact of Apple’s crushing legal victory.

Apple on Monday identified eight devices it will seek preliminary injunctions against, and said it would file for a permanent sales ban. A hearing had been scheduled for September 20.

Request will be considered in December

In an order on Tuesday, however, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh said that due to the scope of Apple’s preliminary injunction request, she believed it was “appropriate” that various post-trial motions be consolidated.

The September 20 hearing will be devoted instead to Samsung’s request to dissolve a sales ban against its Galaxy Tab 10.1. The jury sided with Samsung on that part of the case.

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Apple’s injunction request will be considered in December – after attorneys file detailed legal arguments. Representatives for Apple and Samsung could not immediately be reached for comment.

Apple was awarded $1.05 billion in damages last week after a U.S. jury found Samsung had copied critical features of the iPhone and iPad.

The case in U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, is Apple Inc v. Samsung Electronics Co Ltd et al, No. 11-1846.

Reuters