Seoul Semi says U.S. court rules against Nichia

The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California rendered a judgment denying all the claims of Nichia and Nichia America in a lawsuit filed under the Lanham Act and California state law, according to Seoul Semiconductor.

The lawsuit was filed in December 2007 over statements Seoul Semiconductor distributed to the media regarding an earlier patent litigation between the two companies, according to Seoul Semiconductor.

After considering both parties' arguments and evidence, the U.S. court found there was no evidence that Seoul Semiconductor's actions caused any injuries to Nichia, Seoul Semiconductor said. Nichia will recover nothing from Seoul Semiconductor, while the latter company can recover legal costs from Nichia, Seoul Semiconductor said.

Nichia and Seoul Semiconductor have been involved in multiple legal battles over the past few years. Last October, Nichia filed suit in the Seoul Central District Court against Seoul Semiconductor for alleged patent infringement. Nichia has filed patent suits against Seoul Semiconductor in the U.S., Japan and South Korea.

Earlier this year the U.S. International Trade Commission voted to investigate a claim filed by Seoul Semiconductor against Nichia involving certain LEDs.