Texas-based Saint Lawrence Communications Wins $9.17 Million Patent Verdict

MARSHALL, Texas, March 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- An East Texas federal jury has awarded $9.17 million to Plano, Texas-based Saint Lawrence Communications, LLC, after finding that Motorola Mobility, LLC, willfully infringed five patents for HD Voice technology used in its modern mobile phones.

Jurors reached their verdict on March 24 after a week-long trial and almost four hours of deliberations in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas in Marshall.

Saint Lawrence Communications is represented by name partner Wesley Hill of Longview-based Ward, Smith & Hill, PLLC, and lead trial counsel Demetrios Anaipakos of Houston law firm Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing P.C., or AZA.

"This was a big win for Saint Lawrence," said Mr. Hill. "The finding of 'willful infringement' means that the final judgment amount could be triple the amount that the jury awarded. We are gratified that the jurors were able to sort through the evidence and come to this clear-cut conclusion."

To learn more about Ward Smith & Hill's patent litigation practice, visit: http://wsfirm.com/practice-areas/patent-litigation/

The dispute involves U.S. Patent Nos. 6,795,805, 6,807,524, 7,151,802, 7,260,521, and 7,191,123 related to audio compression technology known as Adaptive Multi-Rate-Wideband (AMR-WB). The patents are critical components in industry standard technology for HD Voice in cell phones, which significantly improves sound quality in modern smart phones. The technology allows users to hear faint voices, easily understand people talking on a speakerphone and distinguish multiple voices on a single call. The AMR-WB code also serves a variety of applications, including media audio content and mobile voice over internet protocol or VoIP.

The case is Saint Lawrence Communications v. Motorola Mobility LLC, case No. 2:15-cv-00351 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division.

Longview, Texas-based Ward, Smith & Hill, PLLC, has tried more than 350 cases to verdict, earning a national reputation in high-stakes claims involving complex commercial litigation, intellectual property law, oil and gas matters, bad faith insurance claims, and serious personal injury claims. The firm frequently assists lawyers nationwide in complex cases before Texas juries. To learn more about the firm, visit http://www.wsfirm.com.

For more information, contact Sophia Reza at 800-559-4534 or [email protected].

SOURCE Ward, Smith & Hill, PLLC