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Apple's Patent Infringement and Immigration Law Among Top January Verdicts

From U.S. immigration policy to stolen Wi-Fi technology, here are some of the most notable verdicts from January.

gavel 3577254 1920Most Supreme Verdict: SCOTUS Hands Trump Immigration Win

The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Trump administration’s “public charge” immigration rule and it will now take effect after being blocked by lower courts, according to an article from CNBC. The 5-4 vote was split down the aisle, as the court’s Democratic appointees said they were not in favor of the policy being enforced. The rule aims to make it harder for immigrants to obtain green cards or permanent residency if they are likely to use benefits like Medicaid and food stamps, as opposed to a narrower list of public assistances that were previously determining factors.

Most Technological Verdict: Tech Giants to Pony Up $1.1B for Patent Infringement

Apple and Broadcom were ordered to pay a combined $1.1 billion penalty to the California Institute of Technology after being accused of infringing on Wi-Fi technology patents, according to an article from the Economic Times. It is one of the largest patent verdicts recorded. Per the ruling, Apple will be expected to pay the bulk of the award at $837 million while Broadcom will chip in $270 million. Caltech sued the companies in 2016 and claimed Apple products like the iPad and iPhone used Broadcom components in violation of the school’s wireless data transmission patents. An appeal of the ruling is planned.

Most Intentional Verdict: Wisconsin Man Guilty in 2018 Shooting Murder

Kem L. Davis Jr, of Madison, Wisconsin was found guilty of the 2018 first-degree murder of DeAnthony Miggins, according to an article from the Wisconsin State Journal. Davis was accused of shooting Miggins to death and was found guilty of the intentional homicide by a jury of seven women and five men. Miggins was shot five times in the head and face. The conviction carries a mandatory life sentence.

Most Conflicted Verdict: Georgia Judge Overturns Jury Verdict for 1st Time in 14 Year Career

Cherokee Judicial Circuit Judge D. Scott Smith overturned a jury’s verdict for the first time in his 14 years on the bench and has ordered a new trial for Bernardo Castillo-Martinez, according to an article from The Daily Tribune News. Castillo-Martinez was found guilty of child molestation after being charged with allegedly touching his daughter with an “unknown solid object.” The judge said testimony from the alleged victim, a four-year-old girl, cast substantial doubt over the conviction. At one point, the child named her older brother as the abuser. Cherokee Judicial Circuit Judge Suzanne H. Smith will handle the case going forward.

Most Historic Verdict: Record Setting Pittsburg County Award Nets $20M in Wrongful Death Suit

A jury awarded $20 million to the families of five people killed in an oil rig fire near Quinton, Oklahoma. The damages were among some of the biggest ever recorded in the state and were the largest ever rendered in Pittsburg County, according to an article from ABC Tulsa. The jury decided Red Mountain Energy, Patterson UTI, Crescent Consulting and National Oilwell Varco were liable for the deaths of the men (NOV). The accident was considered one of the worst of its kind in a decade. 

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