Public Interest in Enhancing Safety Favors Permanent Injunction​

Following a jury trial, the court granted plaintiff's motion for a permanent injunction and rejected defendant's argument that the public interest weighed against an injunction of its flame barrier products. "Defendant argues that an injunction would harm the public interest because the public is better off with a multiple-supplier market for products affecting public safety. Defendant provides some evidence that Plaintiff may have had supply issues with its product. . . . Overall, I am not concerned with Plaintiff's ability to supply its product. Even if there were concerns, it could still be appropriate to award an injunction. It is also the case that 'copies of patented inventions have the effect of inhibiting innovation and incentive.' Guarding against such copies could foster the development of more technologies aimed at enhancing public safety."

EI du Pont de Nemours and Company v. Unifrax I LLC, 1-14-cv-01250 (DED September 12, 2017, Order) (Andrews, USDJ)