Symbol Technologies, Inc. v. Metrologic Instruments, Inc.

450 F. Supp. 2d 676, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 55099, 2006 WL 2265506
District Court, E.D. Texas·Decided August 8, 2006·No. 2:05 CV 509·Published·Cited by 3 cases

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

DAVIS, District Judge.

Before the Court is Defendant Metro-logic Instruments, Inc.’s Motion and Memorandum of Law in Support of its Motion to Transfer Venue to the Southern District of New York (Docket No. 11). Having considered the parties’ written and oral arguments, the Court DENIES the motion.

BACKGROUND

Symbol Technologies, Inc. accuses its competitor, Metrologic Instruments, Inc., of infringing U.S. Patent Nos. 5,479,002; 6,631,845; 5,646,390; 5,521,366; 5,591,952; and 6,854,655. The patents relate to the field of laser scanners and dataform readers. Symbol is a Delaware corporation and maintains its principal place of business in the Eastern District of New York, in Holtsville, New York. Metrologic is a New Jersey corporation, with its principal place of business in Blackwood New Jersey, in the District of New Jersey. Metro-logic moves the Court to transfer this case to the Southern District of New York under 28 U.S.C. § 1404(a).

APPLICABLE LAW

“For the convenience of parties and witnesses, in the interest of justice, a district court may transfer any civil action to any other district or division where it might have been brought.” 28 U.S.C. § 1404(a). The first determination to be made under 28 U.S.C. § 1404(a) is whether the claim could have been filed in the judicial district to which transfer is sought. In re Volkswagen AG, 371 F.3d 201, 203 (5th Cir.2004). If so, under § 1404(a), a court examines “the convenience of the parties and witnesses.” Id. The convenience determination involves examining *678 several private and public interest factors, none of which are given dispositive weight. Id.

The private factors include: (1) the relative ease of access to sources of proof; (2) the availability of the compulsory process to secure witnesses’ attendance; (3) the willing witnesses’ cost of attendance; and (4) all other practical problems that make the case’s trial easy, expeditious, and inexpensive. Id. The public factors include: (1) the administrative difficulties flowing from court congestion; (2) the local interest in having local issues decided at home; (3) the forum’s familiarity with the governing law; and (4) the avoidance of unnecessary conflict of law problems involving foreign law’s application. Id.

A court should also consider the plaintiffs forum choice, but the plaintiffs forum choice by itself is not conclusive or determinative. In re Horseshoe Entm’t, 337 F.3d 429, 434 (5th Cir.2003). But see Gulf Oil Corp. v. Gilbert, 330 U.S. 501, 508, 67 S.Ct. 839, 91 L.Ed. 1055 (1947) (“But unless the balance is strongly in favor of the defendant, the plaintiffs choice of forum should rarely be disturbed.”); Syndicate 420 at Lloyd’s London v. Early Am. Ins. Co., 796 F.2d 821, 828 (5th Cir.1986) (“Once the Court has determined that an adequate, available forum exists, the next step is to proceed to a balancing of the public and private interest factors, bearing always in mind that ‘unless the balance is strongly in favor of the defendant, the plaintiffs choice of forum should rarely be disturbed.’ ”) (quoting Gulf Oil, 330 U.S. at 508, 67 S.Ct. 839). A court must consider these factors in light of all the claims alleged in the case and not restrict its analysis to only the plaintiffs claims. In re Volkswagen AG, 371 F.3d at 204. The movant bears the burden of proof in demonstrating that transfer is warranted. Z-Tel Commc’ns, Inc. v. SBC Commc’ns, Inc., 331 F.Supp.2d 567, 570 (E.D.Tex.2004) (Folsom, J.) (citing Time, Inc. v. Manning, 366 F.2d 690, 698 (5th Cir.1966)).

ANALYSIS

Neither the parties nor the Court dispute that venue is proper in this district or that the case could have been in the Southern District of New York.

Private Interest Factors

Metrologic argues that none of the voluminous technical and sales documents that will be exchanged between the parties are located in Texas; they are located in either New York or New Jersey. These documents will need to be exchanged regardless of where the case is tried. And regardless of where the case is tried, the documents will most likely be exchanged electronically. Metrologic has not explained how transferring this case to the Southern District of New York would make document production less burdensome on either party. See, e.g., Networkr-1 Sec. Solutions, Inc. v. D-Link Corp., 433 F.Supp.2d 795, 799 (E.D.Tex. March 23, 2006) (Davis, J) (giving little weight to document production), mandamus denied, In re D-Link Corp., Misc. No. 822, 2006 WL 1582211 (Fed.Cir. June 2, 2006). Accordingly, Metrologic has not shown that access to proof favors transfer.

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Symbol Technologies, Inc. v. Metrologic Instruments, Inc., 450 F. Supp. 2d 676, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 55099, 2006 WL 2265506 (E.D. Tex. 2006).

450 F. Supp. 2d 676 (Symbol Technologies, Inc. v. Metrologic Instruments, Inc.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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