Judge Lucy Koh, presiding over the Apple vs. Samsung trial in California, didn’t let Samsung enter some of their pre-iPhone designs into evidence for the trial. Now she’s “livid” after finding out the barred evidence has been distributed to media outlets.
Samsung’s F700 and other pre-iPhone designs have long been known about but for whatever reason Judge Lucy Koh did not let Samsung enter that information into evidence (those are the breaks). After pleading with the judge to admit the evidence, Samsung’s lawyer desperately asked “what’s the point in having a trial?” Koh replied, ”Don’t make me sanction you. Please.”
Samsung then, in what could be interpreted as an attempt to try the case in the media, sent the slides that were barred from evidence to press outlets saying, “The excluded evidence would have established beyond doubt that Samsung did not copy the iPhone design.”
Judge Koh was displeased with Samsung’s move, and called for an immediate meeting with Samsung lead attorney John Quinn.
“Tell Mr. Quinn I’d like to see him today,” Koh said. “I want to know who drafted the press release, who authorized it from the legal team.”
Samsung’s gamble may have cost them in the form of goodwill from Judge Koh, who’s already noticeably unhappy with both sides over the failure of settlement talks.
