By Elizabeth Kelleher
A jury in Oakland, California has ordered SAP to pay $1.3 billion in damages for illegally downloading rival Oracle’s software.
The trial, which began last month, stems from SAP’s admission that its former US subsidiary, TomorrowNow, downloaded documents and software from Oracle’s servers without authorisation.
Co-chief executive Bill McDermott apologised for the patent infringements on behalf of SAP, which argued that it was liable for no more than $40 million in damages.
In a statement, SAP said that it was disappointed by the verdict and will pursue all available options, including post-trial motions and appeal.
“This will unfortunately be a prolonged process and we continue to hope that the matter can be resolved appropriately without more years of litigation.”
“The mark of a leading company is the way it handles its mistakes. As stated in court, we regret the actions of TomorrowNow, we have accepted liability, and have been willing to fairly compensate Oracle.”
The company thanked its customers, employees and partners for their support.
“Our focus now is looking forward, helping our customers be best-run businesses, and extending our legacy of industry leadership well into the future. We thank the jury for its diligent service through this lengthy trial and the Court for its supervision of this complex case.”
