Knowledge of Potential Infringement During Prior Settlement Does Not Trigger Equitable Estoppel

Following jury and bench trials, the court found that equitable estoppel did not preclude plaintiff's claims for infringement of its footwear design patents because there was no misleading conduct following the parties' settlement of an earlier case. "⁠[Plaintiff] did not act in a misleading way when it contractually gave [defendant] the right to sell potentially infringing boots in the [prior] Settlement Agreement. . . . [Defendant] argued that [plaintiff] was aware of the [current accused] designs as early as [seven years ago]; even if that were true, [plaintiff] did not act in a misleading manner because [plaintiff] had no obligation to settle claims that exceeded the scope of the [prior] Litigation."

Deckers Outdoor Corporation v. Romeo and Juliette, Inc. et al, 2-15-cv-02812 (CACD August 8, 2018, Order) (Hatter, USDJ)