16
Apr
By Eric Schweibenz
On April 15, 2014, Chief ALJ Charles E. Bullock issued Order No.  88 in Certain Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters and Products Containing Same (Inv. No. 337-TA-739).

By way of background, the original investigation was based on an October 8, 2010 complaint filed by Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc. (“Leviton”) alleging violations of section 337 in the importation and/or sale of certain ground fault circuit interrupters (“GFCIs”) that infringe, among other patents, U.S. Patent No. 7,737,809.  The ITC issued cease and desist orders against numerous defaulting respondents, including Menard, Inc. (“Menard”).  The ITC also issued a general exclusion order.  Non-party Pass & Seymour, Inc. (“P&S”) had argued that the general exclusion should not reach P&S’s products, but the ITC rejected this argument.  Subsequently, on August 29, 2012, Leviton filed a complaint for an enforcement proceeding alleging, among other things, that Menard violated the cease and desist order by selling P&S GFCIs.  P&S joined the enforcement proceeding as an intervener, but the proceeding was later terminated following a settlement and licensing agreement between Leviton and P&S.  See our February 14, 2014 post for more details.

According to Order No. 88, ALJ Bullock granted a joint motion filed by Leviton and P&S to terminate the advisory opinion proceeding based on a settlement agreement.



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