Microsoft wins fast-track appeal of Word ban

A panel of federal judges has granted Microsoft Corp.'s request for a fast-track appeal of the injunction that prohibits the company from selling its popular Word software after Oct. 10.

Microsoft must make its case to the three judges by the end of business today.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit last week approved Microsoft's demand for an expedited hearing for its appeal. At the same time, the court denied Microsoft's motion for an "administrative stay" that would have nullified the injunction.

The injunction, which bars Microsoft from selling Word 2003 and Word 2007 in their current forms after Oct 10, was mandated by U.S. District Court Judge Leonard Davis on Aug. 11 after the company was found guilty by a Texas jury of infringing a patent held by Canadian software developer i4i Inc. Davis also awarded i4i more than $290 million in damages and interest.

On Aug. 18, Microsoft filed a motion to stay the injunction while it takes the case to appeal. In that motion, Microsoft warned of "massive disruptions" to its sales, as well as those of important OEM partners such as Dell Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co., if the injunction was not put on hold.

:story: Full story: Computerworld