Tempers flared today during the final hours of the Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) vs. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (LON:BC94) lawsuit in California. The suit, in which Apple claims Samsung has violated patent laws, has had more than one incident of Judge Lucy Koh becoming frustrated with the lawyers for both companies.
![Judge Says Apple Attorney Is ‘Smoking Crack’, His Reply: No I'm 'Not' [UPDATED]](https://www.valuewalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/clost.png "Judge Says Apple Attorney Is ‘Smoking Crack’, His Reply: No I'm 'Not' [UPDATED]")
In her latest fit of anger she displays her true distaste with the two companies and their cases.
As the clock ticked toward the final hours of the case, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) submitted what appeared to be a huge mountain of paperwork involving witnesses, who remain to be called to testify. According to reports, Judge Koh responded to the paper work with the following comments:
“I mean come on. 75 pages! 75 pages! You want me to do an order on 75 pages, (and) unless you’re smoking crack, you know these witnesses aren’t going to be called when you have less than four hours.”
Apple attorney, Bill Lee, responded coolly with a dig of his own, by saying, “Your Honor, I can assure you, I’m not smoking crack.”
These comments have caused a ripple of Tweets, Facebook posts, and Google+ Plus1’s, along with plenty of LOL’s. However, there is a serious side to be seen in the matter, as time is indeed winding down for both companies to present their witnesses, cross examine, and present closing arguments.
Koh has threatened to shorten the allotted 2 hour time period for closing arguments, if both companies continue to file more paperwork.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) claims to have legitimate reasons for the extra workload, as Samsung has offered evidence in the last few days, which has prompted Apple to call 20 more witnesses in the case. Samsung, however, has taken a major offensive after Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has finally rested its case.
The judge’s explosion is only one of many recently, as she has already expressed her frustrations with both companies. She recently stated that she didn’t trust any information which was presented from either side of the courtroom, and asked instead to see actual documents to verify their claims. However, she complained yesterday, that both companies were filing too much paperwork, and were overloading her staff. She warned Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) saying, “If it turns out I went through 75 pages for people who are not going to be called, I am going to think of a proper tax for that.”
The general consensus is that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) will win the case, leaving their rival, Samsung, to lick their wounds and reconsider their options. However, in light of the court’s frustration, there could be a lot more at stake for Apple than someone accusing their lead counsel of “smoking crack”. According to Bloomberg, if Apple loses, they could owe Samsung up to $422 million in damages. Two damages experts testified in court today that this would be the approximate amount of what Apple should pay, if Samsung wins.
UPDATE 4:25 PM EST: Bill Lee To Judge Lucy Koh: “I’m not smoking crack.”
It appears that Apple Attorney Bill Lee is definitely not smoking crack, as Judge Koh accused him of earlier today. He is in fact proving that Apple has timed its witnesses in accordance with the amount of time left in the trial. Apple will have time to call all of their witnesses, before the allotted time expires, which only proves the dexterity, and ingenious planning of the team of lawyers.
