Harman v. Scott

183 F. Supp. 138, 124 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 447, 1960 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5113
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Ohio
DecidedMarch 7, 1960
DocketCiv. A. No. 930
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 183 F. Supp. 138 (Harman v. Scott) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Harman v. Scott, 183 F. Supp. 138, 124 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 447, 1960 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5113 (S.D. Ohio 1960).

Opinion

UNDERWOOD, Chief Judge.

Trial on the merits of this cause was commenced on June 30, 1948, and resulted in an interlocutory judgment in favor of plaintiff holding his patent valid and infringed by defendant, Scott. The judgment order enjoined Scott, his agents, servants, employees and attorneys and those acting in concert or cooperation with them, from continuing the infringement found to exist. An accounting to determine plaintiff’s damages was directed and a hearing on accounting was commenced before the Special Master, G. H. Butt, on March 12, 1953, and concluded on March 14, 1953, at which point time for filing briefs was fixed and counsel were directed to submit tentative findings. Thereafter, the Special Master, G. H. Butt, resigned as Standing Master of this Court. The reference to him of this cause was terminated and the cause was referred to John H. Lewis, his successor as Standing Master, by order dated April 30, 1953. No further action has been taken with regard to the accounting, pending final determination of certain motions and applications, hereinafter discussed, with regard to the status of one Lois R. Morrison and Metalock Repair Service, Inc., a New York corporation, as parties to this cause.

On February 11, 1953, plaintiff moved that Metalock Repair Service, Inc., a New York corporation, be added as a party defendant herein. Said motion was pending before the Court prior to and during the aforementioned hearing on accounting. On March 19, 1953, following the hearing on accounting, a motion was filed asking that Lois R. Morrison be added as a party defendant. On March 20, 1953, a motion was filed seeking a temporary restraining order against Scott, Morrison and Metalock Repair Service, Inc., and that same day a temporary restraining order issued. Said order restrained said three parties from disposing of any assets other than in the ordinary day to day conduct of business. Said order also fixed March 25, 1953, as the date for hearing on a motion for preliminary injunction which was then filed on March 23, 1953. The motion came on to be heard on March 25, 1953, at which time Mr. Mahoney, counsel for Scott and appearing specially for Morrison and Metalock, stated that by agreement the matter would be submitted upon the filing of briefs. Mr. Schmieding, who has previously been counsel for the plaintiff and at this point was appearing pro se by leave of the late District Judge Robert R. Nevin, having filed the motion for a preliminary injunction “to prevent immediate and irreparable injury, loss and damage to plaintiff and Warren H. F. Schmieding,” agreed to Mr. Mahoney’s statement. The Court accepted the agreement of counsel and directed that the matter would be considered as finally submitted upon the filing of briefs at the times agreed upon by counsel. Counsel also agreed that the temporary restraining order, application for which was also filed by Schmieding pro se, should “remain in effect until the courts have opportunity of passing upon the motion for preliminary injunction.”

On July 9, 1953, a memorandum of the Court was filed finding plaintiff’s motion to add Metalock as a party defendant to be well taken and directing an entry accordingly. An amended memorandum was filed July 22, 1953 (correcting a typographical error) to the same effect. Also, on July 9, 1953, the Court filed a memorandum finding Sehmieding’s motion to add Morrison as a party defendant to be well taken and directed an entry. In accordance with the Court’s directions, orders were submitted and filed sustaining each of these motions on July 28, and July 30, 1953.

Appeals were prosecuted by Morrison and Metalock and on October 20, 1954, the Court of Appeals entered an order remanding the cause to the District Court upon finding that the orders appealed from were not final and, therefore, not appealable orders. The mandates were received and filed by the Clerk of this Court on November 17, 1954.

On October 22, 1954, Metalock and Morrison, appearing specially, moved [140]*140that the Court dissolve the temporary restraining order issued on March 20, 1953.

On January 25, 1955, plaintiff moved for a preliminary injunction against Scott, Morrison and Metalock, said motion being almost identical with the motion for a preliminary injunction filed in 1953 by Schmieding, pro se.

On February 3, 1955, plaintiff moved for substituted service of process on Morrison and Metalock by serving summons for each upon John J. Mahoney, Attorney at Law of Columbus, Ohio together with a copy of a Supplemental Complaint which was attached to the motion.

On June 10, 1955, an order was filed sustaining plaintiff’s motion for substituted service. On the same day, the Court sustained plaintiff’s motion for a preliminary injunction and issued an order for preliminary injunction against Scott, Morrison and Metalock. The Supplemental Complaint, which had been before the Court since February 3, 1955, as an attachment to plaintiff’s motion for preliminary injunction and which had been referred to at length in all the briefs, had inadvertently not been filed and docketed. The inadvertence was corrected and the Clerk filed and docketed an original, executed true copy of the Supplemental Complaint on June 17, 1955. Summons and copy of the Supplemental Complaint were then served upon Scott, Morrison and Metalock by serving Attorney John J. Mahoney, personally, at Columbus, Ohio.

On July 11, 1955, Metalock and Morrison appearing specially, moved the Court to dismiss the Supplemental Complaint or in lieu thereof to quash the return of summons. On September 7, 1955, the Court filed a memorandum finding this motion not well taken and directing an entry overruling the same. An order to this effect was submitted and filed on September 21, 1955.

Metalock and Morrison again prosecuted an appeal which was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction because the order appealed from was not appealable. On this appeal, appellants attempted to attack the issuance of the preliminary injunction on June 10, 1955, but the Court of Appeals held that an appeal on this question was out of time. The mandate was received by the Clerk of this Court and filed on July 26, 1956.

On July 26, 1956, Metalock and Morrison, appearing specially, moved the Court to dissolve the preliminary injunction issued June 10, 1955. The motion was briefed and submitted and on June 3, 1957, the Court filed its order overruling the motion. On the same day the Court sustained plaintiff’s motion filed August 19, 1955, for an order requiring Metalock and Morrison to answer the Supplemental Complaint and directed said parties to file answers within thirty days. No answers have been filed.

Metaloek and Morrison then prosecuted another appeal. In a decision dated July 28, 1958, the mandate of which was received and filed by the Clerk of this Court on September 24, 1958, the Court of Appeals stated: “The order appealed from is set aside and the cause is remanded to the District Court to state its finding of facts and conclusions of law and enter a decree thereon, * *

On August 11, 1958, upon being advised of the decision of the Court of Appeals, this Court directed a letter to all counsel in the case requesting submission of tentative findings of fact and conclusions of law to assist the Court in complying with the decision of the Court of Appeals.

On September 25, 1958, tentative findings on the question were submitted by Attorney Schmieding and designated as being on behalf of plaintiff.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
183 F. Supp. 138, 124 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 447, 1960 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5113, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/harman-v-scott-ohsd-1960.