Conspiracy Case Against Proskauer Rose Misfires

WASHINGTON (CN) - Proskauer Rose will not face claims that it conspired with federal judges and New York officials to undermine patent claims against Time Warner, a federal judge ruled.

"It is a rare event indeed when a court can resolve a truly voluminous case in a succinct, laborsaving manner: fortunately, this case is one in which that rare event will occur," U.S. District Judge Barbara Rothstein wrote.

P. Stephen Lamont, the CEO of a company called Iviewit, claimed that Proskauer Rose conspired 22 others in the federal government and New York state to quiet his claims over digital-video technology that Time Warner allegedly stole from him in 1998.

Representing himself, Lamont claimed that his company's technology allows for encoding and transmission of digital video across all transmission networks, a digital zoom feature, and remote control of video devices. He claimed that Time Warner and other unidentified companies stole the technology and refuse to pay him royalties.

"Among their arguments, defendants assert that pro se plaintiff, Mr. P. Stephen Lamont, previously litigated these claims and that they were ruled upon by the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York," Rothstein wrote. "The court agrees, and dismisses plaintiff's sole federal claim under the doctrine of res judicata."

Judge Rothstein tossed out all of Lamont's claims, including his motions to disqualify the representative capacity of the New York state attorney general, to file an amended complaint, to file a surreply and to require service of the defendants by the U.S. Marshal Service.

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