Acushnet Co. v. Zimventures, LLC

155 F. Supp. 3d 97, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 171626, 2015 WL 9460557
CourtDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedDecember 23, 2015
DocketCIVIL ACTION NO. 15-11524-WGY
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 155 F. Supp. 3d 97 (Acushnet Co. v. Zimventures, LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Acushnet Co. v. Zimventures, LLC, 155 F. Supp. 3d 97, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 171626, 2015 WL 9460557 (D. Mass. 2015).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION

YOUNG, DISTRICT JUDGE.

I. INTRODUCTION

The plaintiff Acushnet Company (“Acushnet”) brought this suit against ten defendants for patent infringement. Three of these defendants, Nexen Corporation (“Nexen”), Dixon Golf, Inc. (“Dixon”), and Rife Golf (“Rife”) (collectively, the “Moving Defendants”), moved to dismiss the complaint for lack of personal jurisdiction, arguing that they lack the minimum contacts with Massachusetts required for this Court to constitutionally assert jurisdiction. This Court concludes that Acushnet has met its burden of making a prima facie showing that each of the Moving Defendants purposefully availed itself of the privilege of doing business in Massachusetts, and that this lawsuit arises out of the [100]*100Defendants’ contacts with the forum state. Moreover, the exercise of jurisdiction here would not run afoul of the principle of fairness embodied in the Due Process Clause of the Constitution. Accordingly, each Defendant’s motion to dismiss is denied.

A. Facts Alleged

Acushnet is an entity headquartered in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, that invents, manufactures, and sells golf equipment. Compl. ¶¶ 1, 4, ECF No. 1. Acushnet owns several patents1 concerning the aerodynamic design of the dimple patterns on the outer casing of a golf ball. Id. ¶¶ 19, 25, 26. Acushnet alleges that each of the ten defendants infringed its patents by selling infringing products to customers in Massachusetts and soliciting business from Massachusetts customers over the Internet. Id. ¶ 15.

Nexen is a South Korean corporation with a principal place of business in Gim-hae City, Republic of Korea. Id. ¶ 10. Nexen sells its allegedly infringing products under the trade name “SaintNine.” Id. Dixon is a corporation with a principal place of business in Tempe, Arizona. Id. ¶3. Dixon sells its allegedly infringing products under the brand name “Dixon Fire.” Id. ¶ 34. Rife is a business organization with a principal place of business in Bellevue, Washington. Id. ¶ 7. Rife sells its allegedly infringing products under the trade name “V Motion” or “Innovex V Motion.” Id.

B. Procedural History

Acushnet initiated this lawsuit on April 6, 2015. See Compl. Nexen, Dixon, and Rife moved to dismiss the complaint for lack of personal jurisdiction. Def. Nexen Corp.’s Mot. Dismiss Lack Personal Jurisdiction, ECF No. 50; Def. Dixon Golf, Inc.’s Mot. Dismiss Lack Personal Jurisdiction, ECF No. 54; Def. Rife Golfs Mot. Dismiss Lack Personal Jurisdiction, ECF No. 52.

Acushnet opposed each of the motions to dismiss and alternatively requested leave to conduct jurisdictional discovery.2 Pi’s Opp’n Def. Nexen Corp.’s Mot. Dismiss Lack Personal Jurisdiction (“Pi’s Opp’n re Nexen”), ECF No. 79; Pl.’s Opp’n Def. Dixon Golf, Inc.’s Mot. Dismiss Lack Personal Jurisdiction (“Pi’s Opp’n re Dixon”), ECF No. 78; Pl.’s Opp’n Def. Rife Golfs Mot. Dismiss Lack Personal Jurisdiction (“Pi’s Opp’n re Rife”), ECF No. 80.

The Moving Defendants jointly filed a reply on October 22, 2015. Def. Dixon, Rife and Nexen’s Joint Reply Supp. Respective Mots. Dismiss. (“Joint Reply”), ECF No. 101. The Court held a hearing on the motions to dismiss on October 30, 2015, and took them under advisement. Elec. Clerk’s Notes, Oct. 30, 2014, ECF No. 107.

II. ANALYSIS

A. Applicable Law and Standard of Review

Pursuant to the Patent Act, 35 U.S.C. § 271(a), any person who “makes, uses, offers to sell, or sells any patented invention” without authorization within the [101]*101United States, or imports the same into the United States, infringes that patent. Id. Federal district courts have exclusive original subject matter jurisdiction over “any civil action arising under any Act of Congress relating to patents.” 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331, 1338(a). Personal jurisdiction issues in patent infringement cases are reviewed under Federal Circuit law, as the determination of personal jurisdiction in a patent infringement case involves patent-specific questions and not merely procedural matters. See Silent Drive, Inc. v. Strong Indus., Inc., 326 F.3d 1194, 1201 (Fed.Cir.2003) (citations omitted).

In an action for patent infringement, “[t]o survive a motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction in the absence of jurisdictional discovery, plaintiffs need only make a prima facie showing of jurisdiction.” Nuance Commc’ns, Inc. v. Abbyy Software House, 626 F.3d 1222, 1231 (Fed.Cir.2010) (citation omitted). In determining whether a plaintiff has made such a showing, the district court must “construe the pleadings and affidavits in the light most favorable to [the plaintiff].” Graphic Controls Corp. v. Utah Med. Prods., Inc., 149 F.3d 1382, 1383 n. 1 (Fed.Cir.1998).

Acushnet contends that this Court has jurisdiction over each of the Moving Defendants under the Massachusetts long-arm statute, Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 223A, § 3. Pi’s Opp’n re Nexen 10; Pi’s Opp’n re Dixon 6-7; Pi’s Opp’n re Rife 8. Additionally, as to Nexen only, Acushnet argues that jurisdiction is proper pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4(k)(2). Pi’s Opp’n re Nexen 10.

B. Jurisdiction Pursuant to the Massachusetts Long-Arm Statute

“Personal jurisdiction over an out-of-state defendant is appropriate if the relevant state’s long-arm statute permits the assertion of jurisdiction without violating federal due process.” 3D Sys., Inc. v. Aaro-tech Labs., Inc., 160 F.3d 1373, 1376-77 (Fed.Cir.1998). The Massachusetts long-arm statute permits “an assertion of jurisdiction over [an out-of-state defendant] to the limits ’ allowed by the Constitution of the United States.” “Automatic” Sprinkler Corp. of Am. v. Seneca Foods Corp., 361 Mass. 441, 443, 280 N.E.2d 423 (1972). Accordingly, the Court need only analyze the Due Process component.

Personal jurisdiction may take the form of either general or specific jurisdiction.3 Trintec Indus., Inc. v. Pedre Promotional Products, Inc., 395 F.3d 1275, 1279 (Fed.Cir.2005). As Acushnet does not argue that this Court has general jurisdiction over the Moving Defendants, this memorandum focuses on whether there exists specific jurisdiction.

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Bluebook (online)
155 F. Supp. 3d 97, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 171626, 2015 WL 9460557, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/acushnet-co-v-zimventures-llc-mad-2015.