Microsoft litigation

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Microsoft litigation refers to the various legal disputes and court cases involving Microsoft Corporation, one of the largest technology companies in the world. These litigations have spanned several decades and have involved issues such as antitrust law, intellectual property, and contract law.

Antitrust Cases

One of the most notable antitrust cases involving Microsoft was the United States v. Microsoft Corp. case, which was filed in 1998. The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) along with 20 states accused Microsoft of engaging in anti-competitive practices to maintain its monopoly in the operating system market. The case focused on Microsoft's bundling of its Internet Explorer web browser with its Microsoft Windows operating system, which was seen as an attempt to stifle competition from other web browsers such as Netscape Navigator.

In 2000, Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson ruled that Microsoft had violated antitrust laws and ordered the company to be split into two separate entities. However, this ruling was later overturned on appeal, and a settlement was reached in 2001. The settlement required Microsoft to share its application programming interfaces (APIs) with third-party companies and appointed a panel to oversee Microsoft's compliance.

Intellectual Property Disputes

Microsoft has been involved in numerous intellectual property disputes over the years. One significant case was the Apple Computer, Inc. v. Microsoft Corporation lawsuit, which began in 1988. Apple Inc. accused Microsoft of copying the "look and feel" of its Macintosh operating system for use in Microsoft Windows. The case was eventually dismissed in 1994, with the court ruling that most of the disputed elements were not protected by copyright.

Another notable intellectual property case was the Microsoft v. AT&T Corp. case, which reached the Supreme Court of the United States in 2007. The case revolved around whether Microsoft was liable for patent infringement for software sold overseas. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Microsoft, stating that U.S. patent laws did not apply to software sold in foreign markets.

Contract Law Disputes

Microsoft has also faced several contract law disputes. One prominent case was the Microsoft v. Motorola, Inc. lawsuit, which involved a dispute over the licensing of standard-essential patents (SEPs). Microsoft accused Motorola of breaching its commitment to license its SEPs on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms. In 2013, a federal judge ruled in favor of Microsoft, awarding the company $14.5 million in damages.

Related Pages

• Microsoft Corporation
• United States v. Microsoft Corp.
• Apple Computer, Inc. v. Microsoft Corporation
• Microsoft v. AT&T Corp.
• Microsoft v. Motorola, Inc.
• Antitrust law
• Intellectual property
• Contract law