Lasermarx, Inc. v. Hamskea Archery Solutions LLC

CourtDistrict Court, D. Colorado
DecidedSeptember 28, 2023
Docket1:22-cv-01956
StatusUnknown

This text of Lasermarx, Inc. v. Hamskea Archery Solutions LLC (Lasermarx, Inc. v. Hamskea Archery Solutions LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lasermarx, Inc. v. Hamskea Archery Solutions LLC, (D. Colo. 2023).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLORADO Judge Nina Y. Wang

Civil Action No. 22-cv-01956-NYW-KAS

LASERMARX, INC., d/b/a QUALITY ARCHERY DESIGNS, INC., and QTM, LLC,

Plaintiffs,

v.

HAMSKEA ARCHERY SOLUTIONS LLC,

Defendant.

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

This matter comes before the Court on the Motion for Dismissal and Summary Judgment of Invalidity and Non-Infring[e]ment (“Motion for Summary Judgment”), [Doc. 28, filed November 11, 2022], and Defendant Hamskea Archery Solutions, LLC’s Motion to Strike (“Motion to Strike”), [Doc. 53, filed January 10, 2023], both filed by Defendant Hamskea Archery Solutions LLC (“Defendant” or “Hamskea”). Plaintiffs Lasermarx, Inc., d/b/a Quality Archery Designs, Inc. (“QAD”) and QTM, LLC (“QTM” and, with QAD, “Plaintiffs”) have responded to the Motion for Summary Judgment and Motion to Strike, [Doc. 46; Doc. 47; Doc. 48; Doc. 57], and Defendant has replied, [Doc. 55; Doc. 58]. The Court finds that oral argument will not materially assist in the disposition of these motions. Upon review of the Parties’ briefing, the entire docket, and the applicable case law, this Court respectfully GRANTS in part and DENIES in part the Motion to Strike and DENIES without prejudice the Motion for Summary Judgment. BACKGROUND The following factual background is based on the allegations in Plaintiffs’ First Amended Complaint for Patent Infringement (“First Amended Complaint”). [Doc. 24]. QAD, which develops and distributes archery products, is the exclusive licensee of two patents owned by QTM: (1) U.S. Patent No. 11,098,974 (“the ’974 Patent”), and (2) U.S. Patent No. 11,359,884 (“the ’884 Patent” and with the ’974 Patent, the “Patents-in-Suit”). [Id. at ¶¶ 1, 9, 12]. The ’974 Patent was

filed April 2, 2020, and it issued on August 24, 2021. [Id. at ¶ 14]. The ’884 Patent was filed November 9, 2020, and it issued on June 14, 2022. [Id. at ¶ 17]. Generally, these patents disclose a system for attaching archery accessories, such as arrow rests or sights, onto the rearward-facing portion of a bow riser by use of a “dovetail” joint. [Id. at ¶¶ 19–21]. Plaintiffs practice the Patents- in-Suit in commerce through their Integrate Mounting System, and QAD licenses the technology at issue to others in the archery industry. [Id. at ¶¶ 12, 20, 22]. Hamskea is one of Plaintiffs’ competitors in manufacturing and selling archery accessories. [Id. at ¶ 38]. Today, Hamskea sells several products that Plaintiffs allege infringe on the Patents- in-Suit: the C.O.R. Mount Riser Interface, C.O.R. Universal Adaptor Bracket kit, and Epsilon Arrow Rest (“Alleged Infringing Products”). [Id. at ¶ 2]. In mid-2021, Hamskea and QAD

discussed a licensing arrangement, presumably with respect to the Patents-in-Suit, but did not come to an agreement. [Id. at ¶¶ 22, 25]. Hamskea launched the Alleged Infringing Products at a trade show in Louisville, Colorado, in January 2022. [Id. at ¶ 23]. Pre-suit correspondence between the Parties did not resolve their dispute. [Id. at ¶¶ 26–28]. Plaintiffs filed this action on August 5, 2022. [Doc. 1]. Their initial Complaint for Patent Infringement contained two causes of action for infringement—one for each of the Patents-in-Suit. [Id. at 7, 13]. With respect to the ’974 Patent, Plaintiffs alleged willful infringement of at least independent Claim 11. [Id. at ¶¶ 36–40]. With respect to the ’884 Patent, Plaintiffs alleged willful infringement of at least independent Claim 12. [Id. at ¶¶ 42–46]. On October 7, 2022, Defendant filed a Motion for Dismissal and Summary Judgment of Invalidity, arguing that the Patents-in-Suit were anticipated by U.S. Patent No. 7,409,950 (“the ’950 Patent”), which issued on August 12, 2008, and which was commercially embodied in the Ripcord Fall-Away Arrow Rest. See [Doc. 17 at 2].

Shortly thereafter, Plaintiffs filed the operative First Amended Complaint, which mooted Defendant’s motion. [Doc. 27]. The First Amended Complaint contains two causes of action for patent infringement and alleges infringement of (1) at least Claims 11 and 13 of the ’974 Patent, and (2) at least Claims 12, 16, and 17 of the ’884 Patent. [Doc. 24 at ¶¶ 42, 51]. Plaintiffs seek a finding of infringement, compensatory damages, permanent injunctive relief, enhanced damages, and attorneys’ fees, among other forms of relief. [Id. at 30]. On November 11, 2022, Hamskea filed the instant Motion for Summary Judgment and invoked both Rule 12(b)(6) and Rule 56. [Doc. 28]. Plaintiffs responded to the Motion for Summary Judgment on December 19, 2022. [Doc. 46]. Plaintiffs attached their Initial Infringement Contentions, as served on Defendant. [Doc. 46-2]. Plaintiffs also filed a Response

and Counterstatement of Material Facts in Opposition to Defendant’s Second Motion for Dismissal and Summary Judgment of Invalidity and Non-Infringement (“Counterstatement”), [Doc. 47], as well as the Declaration of Michael A. Oropallo Pursuant to Rule 56(d) and in Support of Plaintiffs’ Response in Opposition to Defendant’s Second Motion for Dismissal and Summary Judgment of Invalidity (“Oropallo Declaration”), [Doc. 48]. On January 10, 2023, Hamskea moved to strike the Counterstatement, Oropallo Declaration, and Initial Infringement Contentions. [Doc. 53]. That same day, Defendant filed a Reply supporting its Motion for Summary Judgment. [Doc. 54]. LEGAL STANDARDS I. Rule 56 Summary judgment is warranted “if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a). “A dispute is genuine if there is sufficient evidence so that a rational trier of fact could

resolve the issue either way. A fact is material if under the substantive law it is essential to the proper disposition of the claim.” Crowe v. ADT Sec. Servs., Inc., 649 F.3d 1189, 1194 (10th Cir. 2011) (quotations omitted). It is the movant’s burden to demonstrate that no genuine dispute of material fact exists for trial, whereas the nonmovant must set forth specific facts establishing a genuine issue for trial. See Nahno-Lopez v. Houser, 625 F.3d 1279, 1283 (10th Cir. 2010). At all times, the Court will “view the factual record and draw all reasonable inferences therefrom most favorably to the nonmovant.” Zia Shadows, L.L.C. v. City of Las Cruces, 829 F.3d 1232, 1236 (10th Cir. 2016). To satisfy its burden at summary judgment, the nonmovant must point to competent summary judgment evidence creating a genuine dispute of material fact; conclusory statements

based on speculation, conjecture, or subjective belief are insufficient. See Bones v. Honeywell Int’l, Inc., 366 F.3d 869, 875 (10th Cir. 2004); see also 10B Charles Alan Wright et al., Federal Practice and Procedure § 2738 (4th ed. Apr. 2023 update) (explaining that the nonmovant cannot rely on “mere reargument of a party’s case or the denial of an opponent’s allegation” to defeat summary judgment). In considering the nonmovant’s evidence, the Court cannot and does not weigh the evidence or determine the credibility of witnesses. See Fogarty v. Gallegos, 523 F.3d 1147, 1165 (10th Cir. 2008). Further, the Court may consider only admissible evidence, see Gross v. Burggraf Constr. Co., 53 F.3d 1531, 1541 (10th Cir.

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Lasermarx, Inc. v. Hamskea Archery Solutions LLC, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lasermarx-inc-v-hamskea-archery-solutions-llc-cod-2023.