ContextVision granted leave to appeal in litigation against Sapheneia

STOCKHOLM, March 14th, The Goeta Court of Appeal has decided to grant ContextVision leave to appeal in the ongoing litigation between ContextVision AB and Sapheneia Commercial Products/Sapheneia LLC. The Court of Appeal simultaneously overturned a previous decision by the District Court and ordered Sapheneia to submit substantial documentation and materials to the court in accordance with ContextVision’s request. Sapheneia is ordered by the Court of Appeal to – within five weeks – submit relevant software specifications, coding, parameter files, original images and documentation relating to products involved in the litigation.

“We welcome this decision and are very pleased that the process is now taking this direction” says Anita Tollstadius, CEO, ContextVision.

The time for the main hearing before the Court of Appeal has not yet been set.

Background

In 2006 five employees left ContextVision. Together with two Americans who had been engaged as consultants to ContextVision, they set up a new company, Sapheneia Commercial Products AB (SCP). Immediately after having left ContextVision, SCP started its business that directly competes with ContextVision.

In 2007 SCP and its American parent company as well as the American consultants and one company belonging to one of the consultants initiated legal proceedings before Linköping District Court requesting a declaratory judgment to the effect that they have not infringed ContextVision’s copyrights and that they are not liable in damages to ContextVision as a consequence of any use or disclosure of trade secrets. In return, ContextVision has requested a declaratory judgment to the effect that SCP is liable in damages due to its use and disclosure of trade secrets. In June 2012, the District Court of Linköping ruled in favour of Sapheneia, whereupon ContextVision appealed to the Goeta Court of Appeal.