Italian Judge Rules in Favor of Apple in Patent Case with Samsung

The Italian news agency ANSA has revealed that Judge Marina Tavassi of Tribunale di Milano, Italy, has rejected Samsung’s request for a preliminary injunction against the sale of Apple’s iPhone 4S in the country.

The decision of the Milan-based Italian first-instance court for patent cases comes as a result of Samsung forwarding a motion in October 2011.

According to Florian Mueller of Foss Patents, the court had decided after the first hearing that it would hold at least one more hearing before making a definitive decision.

Mueller, an intellectual property activist and analyst, said at the time that "Samsung's hopes for iPhone 4S injunctions in France and Italy are alive but fading". The patent litigation expert now points out that Samsung's motions have been denied in both countries, having reported on the French decision less than a month ago.

In fact, Samsung’s requests for preliminary injunctions against iDevices have failed in three European countries so far, the third territory left unmentioned here being the Nederlands.