On September 30, 2015, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit denied the defendant rig owners and operators’ request for rehearing by the entire Court of its affirmance in Eldridge’s favor on July 17, 2015. Eldridge prevailed at trial in Tyler, Texas against the rig owners and operators in November 2013, proving the defendants had infringed Eldridge’s ENJET patent. On July 17, 2015, the Court of Appeals affirmed all aspects of Eldridge’s trial win, rejecting all of the defendants’ challenges. The Court’s September 30, 2015 order concludes the Court of Appeals’ review of the case and ordered the case to be sent back to the district court on October 7, 2015 to handle the judgment.
Eldridge is obviously very pleased with the Court of Appeals’ order because it will allow Eldridge to collect the jury’s award Eldridge earned almost two years ago for the infringing rigs owned and operated the defendants in the Gulf of Mexico.
Eldridge plans to continue to monitor other rigs with infringing systems that are being constructed or have already been prohibited from entering the Gulf of Mexico under the trial Court’s injunction.