Judge rejects Apple plea for Samsung ban in US

SAN FRANCISCO - The Associated Press

A federal judge has denied a legal request by Apple Inc. to ban U.S. sales of Samsung smart phone models that a jury in August said illegally used Apple technology.
 
The decision is part of a series of rulings that U.S. Judge Lucy Koh says she is releasing over a period of several weeks to address the many legal issues raised in the case.
 
Koh’s ruling on Dec. 17 comes after Apple this summer was awarded $1.05 billion in damages. A jury found Samsung had copied critical features of the iPhone and iPad.
 
Apple had urged the judge to permanently ban the U.S. sales of eight Samsung smart phone models that a jury in August said illegally used Apple technology, while also seeking to add millions more to the award.
 
Earlier this month, Koh appeared ready to trim the $1 billion jury verdict Apple won over Samsung Electronics, but gave no indication as to by how much.
 
Adding to the legal tangle, Apple filed a second lawsuit earlier this year, alleging that Samsung’s newer products are unfairly using Apple’s technology. That’s set for trial in 2014. In addition, the two companies are locked in legal battles in several other countries.