Judge Robinson recently considered a motion to dismiss defendant’s counterclaims and to strike certain affirmative defenses related to the invalidity of the patent in suit, as well as certain background information. Joao Bock Transaction Systems, LLC v. Jack Henry & Associates, Inc., C.A. No. 12-1138-SLR (D. Del. June 13, 2013). Judge Robinson denied plaintiff’s motion finding that defendant’s counterclaims provided sufficient detail to give rise to a plausible claim for relief. Id. at 4-5. Specifically, defendant’s answer and counteclaim “include[d] numerous details indicating why Jack Henry believe[d] the ‘003 patent [was] invalid,” such as because the patent in suit was a continuation of a patent determined to be invalid, and because prior art existed prior to a year before the patent application. Id. at 5.
Judge Robinson also denied plaintiff’s motion to strike. Regarding defendant’s introductory section, Judge Robinson found that the material, including references to prior litigation, had “evidentiary or legal signifcance,” and should not be stricken. Id. at 5-6. Judge Robinson declined to strike defendant’s affirmative defenses, finding that sufficient supporting facts were present in defendant’s responsive pleading. Id. at 6.
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