A Los Angeles federal judge awarded nearly $397,000 to Costco Wholesale Corp. for attorneys fees it spent battling watchmaker Omega S.A.’s eight-year infringement suit against the warehouse club retailer, ruling that Omega’s actions constituted copyright misuse.
U.S. District Senior Judge Terry Hatter Jr. on Wednesday cited reasons including Costco’s successful defeat of Omega’s infringement claim; what he deemed Omega’s improper motivation for the lawsuit; and the need to deter improperly motivated infringement lawsuits.
