Tech Law: Spansion Files, Microsoft Sues, AT&T Gets Pass, More

Spansion files for bankruptcy — Spansion, a major vendor of flash memory, has filed for bankruptcy to restructure $625 million in debt. [Source: Associated Press]

SCOTUS to FTC: we’ll pass — The U.S. Supreme Court turned down a Federal Trade Commission attempt to appeal its antitrust case against Rambus. [Source: The Wall Street Journal]

SCOTUS to AT&T: Market manipulation? What market manipulation? — The U.S. Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling saying that AT&T’s setting of wholesale DSL pricing above retail levels was essentially an antitrust activity because it forced third parties to charge more than AT&T. [Source: TechDirt]

EU to Intel: shut up, you’re late — Intel filed a response to antitrust charges in the EU, but was refused the chance to defend itself during oral arguments. Apparently Intel missed its deadlines by months. [Source: The Wall Street Journal]

Intel joins Psion netbook trademark pile-on — Dell had challenged the validity of Psion’s Netbook trademark. Now Intel has joined the party by filing a challenge in U.S. District Court. And they’ll have fun, fun, fun till Big Daddy takes the t-mark away. [Source: BNET Technology, Ars Technica]

Microsoft sues TomTom. Danger for Linux? — Microsoft is suing Linux-based car navigation system vendor TomTom for alleged infringement of a number of patents. The interesting twist is that at least one of the patents is for the FAT32 file systems. Could this represent an intent by Microsoft to go after Linux companies? [Source: InfoWorld]

And lawyers want to revive “Vista Capable” class action — Here’s something surprising: the plaintiff lawyers want to get the class action suit against Microsoft over the Vista Capable program revived. [Source: Computerworld]

Gavel image via Flickr user Thomas Roche, CC 2.0.