After over four years in courts, search engine optimization platforms BrightEdge and Searchmetrics have settled their patent infringement lawsuit. The two companies have “dismissed all legal claims between them as a result of a settlement which became effective on July 9th, 2018,” the press release notes.
The specific terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but the settlement “resolves legal claims brought between BrightEdge, founded by Jim Yu, and Searchmetrics, founded by Marcus Tober, concerning the misappropriation of trade secrets, unfair competition, trade libel and patent infringement, cases that were before the Superior Court of California (Case No. 113-cv-256794) and the U.S. Northern District Court of California (Case No. 4:14-cv-01009-HSG).”
Back in 2014, BrightEdge sued Searchmetrics in the United States over a patent dispute. After years of legal fights and untold sums of money spent on lawyers and courts, the two companies have settled.
In January of this year, Searchmetrics won an important battle in the case that may have been instrumental in the settlement.
From the press release:
San Mateo, July 23, 2018 ‒ BrightEdge Technologies, Inc. (“BrightEdge”), Searchmetrics GmbH, and Searchmetrics, Inc. (collectively, “Searchmetrics”) dismissed all legal claims between them as a result of a settlement which became effective on July 9th, 2018.
The settlement, terms of which were not disclosed, resolves legal claims brought between BrightEdge and Searchmetrics concerning the misappropriation of trade secrets, unfair competition, trade libel and patent infringement, cases that were before the Superior Court of California (Case No. 113-cv-256794) and the U.S. Northern District Court of California (Case No. 4:14-cv-01009-HSG).
Both BrightEdge and Searchmetrics are pleased to reach the settlement and look forward to continuing to innovate and serve customers’ needs in search, content, and marketing performance.
About The Author
Barry Schwartz is Search Engine Land’s News Editor and owns RustyBrick, a NY based web consulting firm. He also runs Search Engine Roundtable, a popular search blog on SEM topics.