A jury in a United States District Court in San Francisco, California ruled Google did not need permission from Oracle to build Android – a major smartphone operating software and an essential part of Google’s million-dollar Internet business, thus nixing the chance for Oracle to obtain $9 billion in damages from its rival tech group.

Internet entrepreneur and Google co-founder Lawrence “Larry” Page testified in court while businessman and Oracle co-founder Lawrence Joseph “Larry” Ellison appeared via video conferencing during the trial.

According to groups that support Google’s claim, it would be dangerous for Oracle to win the suit as future innovation would be curtailed by making access to software more expensive.

Google argued that since they only used small parts of Java – a programming software developed by Oracle – to create Android, it qualified for a “fair use” exemption from copyright. Similar exemptions make it possible for artists to reuse other people’s work to make larger creations.

Our attorneys at Gagnon, Peacock & Vereeke, P.C., who serve clients in Dallas and Fort Worth, handle intellectual property cases such as patents, trademarks, copyright, trade secrets and guide our clients through licensing processes and the intricacies of domain name disputes. Call our offices today at (214) 824-1414 if you are seeking legal advice regarding one of these areas.