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Trade Secret Litigation News: More on the Sam Vance Case from Florida

I noted this case originally in Trade Secrets: Today's Roundup of Litigation. Now, the Herald Tribune has more news on the case with Judge increases mining award.

"On March 18, 12th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Robert W. McDonald Jr. awarded exemplary damages of $39.3 million on top of $19.7 million from an initial judgment against Sam Vance, who Alpha Mining Systems says is working for Dubai, United Arab Emirates-based Al Dobowi Group, despite a court order prohibiting him from doing so."

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McDonald also ordered Vance's arrest and possible extradition on a charge of criminal contempt. He also has to pay $183,618.49 in attorneys fees and costs.

The monetary penalty against Vance ranks among the largest trade secret judgments in recent Florida history.

In the original report, there was a mention of collections problems. I think increasing the amount of the judgment eases the problems of collecting the judgment.

Finally, a reminder of what the defendant did to get hit with this kind of judgment:

McDonald found that in early 2005, Vance began working for China-based competitor Guizhou Tire Co. while still working for Alpha. He would take Guizhou tire orders on his wife's cell phone and through his personal e-mail account to avoid detection.

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Beginning in August 2005, Vance went to work for Al Dobowi Group, then an upstart mining company. He gave all of Alpha's trade secrets, from pricing information to its customer list to the design blueprints for Alpha's specialty tires, court records say.

Full post as published by Indiana Civil & Business Lawyer on April 16, 2008 (boomark / email).