Legal News

State high court to broadcast cases on online and on TV

By Jason Siegel

The California Supreme Court will broadcast three cases live on television and on the Web today, aiming to improve public understanding of state courts.

The first case is an appeal a $500 million award to a South California medical treatment and research center for a biotech company's failure to pay royalties for a breakthrough gene-splicing method after giving the invention to the company to patent and market (City of Hope National Medical Center v. Genentech).
The invention, made in 1976 by the medical center, enabled widespread production genetically-engineered medicines for the treatment of diabetes, cancer and other diseases .

At issue is whether a fiduciary relationship arises when an inventor/researcher who entrusts a new idea or discovery to another party to develop, patent and commercially exploit in exchange for paying the inventor/researcher royalties, or is the arrangement like an ordinary contract which supports contract, and not punitive damages.

The three cases will be broadcast on television and online on The California Channel's website at 2 p.m. to 5.pm.

Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on February 05, 2008 (boomark / email).