Spellbinders Suit Against Lifestyle Crafts Dismissed

The patent infringement suit filed by Spellbinders against Lifestyle Crafts over what became known in court records as the '634 patent was ordered dismissed Monday by Judge Neil Wake.

The case against Lifestyle Crafts was filed by Spellbinders in January of this year, and was over the technology used for creating dies with an aperture in the middle.

The dismissal was ordered in the Lifestyle Crafts case after the '634 patent was declared unenforceable last month in the case Spellbinders filed against QuicKutz three years ago over infringement of the same patent, over which Judge Wake also presided. With the patent declared legally unenforceable as a result of that case, the basis for the Lifestyle Crafts suit was also gone. 

The twin dismissals don't necessarily mean the patent case is over, however. Spellbinders has filed notice with the court of appeals that they intend to appeal the dismissal of their case against QuicKutz, and a victory in that appeal could be used to revive the Lifestyle Crafts case. The company's appeal isn't just about continuing to pursue ownership of the '634 patent - should Spellbinders remain on the losing end of these suits, they would be in line to receive claims for legal fees from QuicKutz and Lifestyle Crafts that could easily total hundreds of thousands of dollars.