Judge Rejects Bristol's Request for Preliminary Injunction
Microsoft Says It is Pleased With Decision; Bristol's Case is Without Merit
biz.yahoo.com
REDMOND, Wash., Dec. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT - news) today said it was pleased by a ruling from Judge Janet Hall of the U.S. District Court in Connecticut denying a request for a preliminary injunction by Bristol Technologies Inc., which sued Microsoft in August of this year.
''Throughout this case, it has been clear to Microsoft that this litigation was an effort by a company to use a lawsuit and a long-planned public relations campaign to try to gain better terms in its contract negotiations with Microsoft,'' said Steve Aeschbacher, senior corporate attorney, Microsoft. ''Bristol elected to sue, not do business. We have offered Bristol contract terms like those agreed to by Bristol's principal competitor, Mainsoft.''
''The Court's ruling affirms Microsoft's position that Bristol's claims lack merit. Granting Bristol access to Microsoft's confidential property-- Windows source code--would represent an extraordinary measure that is not supported by the facts or the law,'' Aeschbacher continued. ''The Court found that Bristol had not shown a clear likelihood of success on the merits of any of its fourteen claims. In its court papers and after five days of testimony Bristol failed to establish any factual or legal grounds for its radical claims.''
Microsoft looks forward to presenting a powerful case in defending itself against Bristol's baseless allegations. ''We believe that when all the facts and evidence are before the Court, the Court will agree that this suit is without merit, and should have been settled in a conference room like most contract negotiations, rather than a court room,'' said Aeschbacher.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq ''MSFT'') is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
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