SAN FRANCISCO — A federal jury has reached an impasse on a key issue in Oracle’s copyright-infringement case against Google, handing the database-software company a major setback.
Oracle had been seeking up to $1 billion in damages on copyright claims after alleging that Google built its popular Android mobile software by stealing some of the technology from Java, a programming platform that Oracle bought two years ago.
In delivering a partial verdict Monday, the jury found that Google infringed on the largest of Oracle’s claims, but it couldn’t agree on whether it was legally protected “fair use.” Without that determination, it will be difficult for Oracle to win big damages.
The jury also found that Google infringed on Oracle’s copyright on nine lines of Java code found in Android, but Oracle can pursue only statutory damages, ranging from $200 to $150,000. Google has argued that it used freely available parts of Java. The Associated Press
