Before the trial, SAP admitted that its 2005 acquisition TomorrowNow pirated Oracle’s intellectual property and used it in order to pilfer customers from Oracle. Evidence presented during the trial showed that key SAP executives were aware of what was happening. ““For more than three years, SAP stole thousands of copies of Oracle software and then resold that software and related services to Oracle’s own customers,” said Catz.
The amount of the verdict was the biggest point of contention, as Oracle lawyers pushed for $1.7 billion in damages while SAP legal thought that the number was more in the $40 million range.
According to Bloomberg, the $1.3 billion award is the 23rd largest jury verdict of all time, and the largest amount for a verdict involving copyright, by far overtaking the previous $136 million settlement between the RIAA and Media Group Inc.
Whether the verdict will actually get paid out is a whole other ballgame. An SAP spokesman told Bloomberg that “We are, of course, disappointed by this verdict and will pursue all available options, including post-trial motions and appeal if necessary.”
As market leader in enterprise application software, SAP (NYSE: SAP) helps companies of all sizes and industries run better. From back office to boardroom, warehouse to storefront, desktop to mobile device – SAP empowers people and organisations to work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively to stay ahead of the competition. SAP applications and services enable more than 232,000 customers to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and grow sustainably.
Oracle is an enterprise IT company with a specialty in database management systems.
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