Se-Kure Controls, Inc. v. Vanguard Prods. Group, Inc., No. 02 C 3767, Slip Op. (N.D. Ill. Jul. 5, 2012) (Castillo, J.).

Judge Castillo awarded costs as to each party in this patent infringement action after the Federal Circuit affirmed Judge Anderson’s entry of judgment in favor of defendants.  The Court awarded defendants costs and expert fees of approximately $32,000 pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 54(d) and 26(b)(4)(E), and awarded plaintiff Se-Kure approximately $14,000 in expert fees pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(b)(4)(E) to be credited against defendants’ costs.  Of particular interest, the Court ruled as follows:

  • Because the Court held Se-Kure’s patent invalid, defendants were prevailing parties.
  • Defendant’s amended petition was not untimely.  It added costs, but it was filed within thirty days of the Court’s judgment as required by Local Rule 54.1(a).
  • The Court awarded hearing transcript costs up to the relevant Federal Judicial Center allowed cost.  The Court did not award expedited costs because defendants did not provide a justification for the extra cost of the expedited service.
  • The Court awarded the agreed amounts for deposition transcripts.
  • The Court reduced defendants’ copying costs by approximately $3,300 for copy costs after depositions on that were not clearly tied to the case.
  • The Court denied costs for a demonstrative because half of it was blown up portions of text from testimony and exhibits.  The other half was figures at the center of a controversy regarding Defendant’s mischaracterization of evidence.
  • Although the Court had not identified a case within the Seventh Circuit awarding expert fees for depositions to a losing party, the Court held that the language of Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(b)(4)(E) did not limit the award of expert fees to a prevailing party.  So, the Court awarded all parties their expert fees for deposition time, including both reasonable preparation and deposition time.