Telescope Casual Furniture announced that after more than 10 months of active litigation, its design patent infringement case against Williams Mfg. d/b/a Leisure Creations of Huntsville, Alabama, has been resolved.
The resolution includes a consent judgment prohibiting Williams Mfg. d/b/a Leisure Creations, and Christopher Williams, personally, from exposing for sale or manufacturing the accused chaise lounge. In addition, a private settlement agreement was signed by all parties which, among other terms, provides for a substantial payment to Telescope.
In December 2019, after learning of Williams Mfg.’s Coastal Chaise Lounge, Telescope sued the company and owner Christopher Williams for design patent infringement of Telescope US D704,463, in federal district court for the Northern District of Alabama. The patent protects the design of Telescope’s Bazza chaise lounge, which previously won the ICFA Design Excellence Award.
In a statement, Telescope said it invests heavily in its intellectual property and takes infringements very seriously. Telescope corporate policy is to protect and defend against the misappropriation of its intellectual property, and the company said it will continue to do so.
The statement continued to say Telescope Casual Furniture knows that designers work tirelessly in their efforts to create the best outdoor furniture experience for their customers, and to remain relevant while answering the demands of the growing category. The company pointed to its 118-year tradition of creating new and original designs, and vowed to protect their intellectual property rights.
