Cisco Finds Panel Skeptical of Judge Who Dropped $2 Billion Hit

Two Federal Circuit judges heavily questioned arguments that a $1.9 billion judgment levied against Cisco Systems Inc. should remain in place despite claims the district court judge failed to recuse himself after learning his wife owned Cisco stock.

Judge Henry Morgan in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia refused to recuse himself from the case, saying he had already written most of his decision when he discovered his wife’s 100 shares of Cisco stock. Centripetal Networks Inc.’s attorney Paul J. Andre of Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP argued that because Cisco hasn’t alleged there was ...