US Court Delays Intel-AMD Trial Until 2010

As we informed you yesterday, Intel is currently entangled in a number of legal actions, one of which is of particular concern, as it involves competitor Advanced Micro Devices. The lawsuit has been going on since 2005, when AMD accused Intel of giving computer makers illegal discounts and of retaliating against manufacturers who used AMD chips.

Apparently, a recent development in the legal dispute between the two chip manufacturers has pushed the trial-date until early 2010. As if all this hasn't been going on for enough time already.

According to AMD's attorney Chuck Diamond and Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy, the two sides will have a 250-day period to depose witnesses, with AMD getting slightly more days than Intel. Chuck Diamond also said that, although the initial date for the trial was set in April 2009, it has been pushed back to February 20, 2010. This leaves Intel, which has so far denied any wrongdoing, with more time to prepare a defense and even enough chances to get a better market share than its rival, as the Santa Clara based company is prepping for some important product releases.

Reports indicate that AMD had asked the court for 486 depositions, in a bid to prove that Intel broke the law regarding competition with AMD. As a response, Intel asked the court to limit each company to only 75 depositions.

Also, Intel has to bring Edward Ho, an Intel employee in China, for a deposition, according to a telephone statement by Diamond and Mulloy. Word is Ho's testimony is very important in helping Advanced Micro Devices prove its case.

At the moment, Intel is facing quite a few serious problems, especially after the Korean Fair Trade Commission in Seoul has accused Intel of abusing its dominant position in the Korean market. Although the company said that it would appeal the decision, the fact of the matter still remains that Intel has to pay a $25.6 million fine, until proven otherwise.