Google, Sonos Slammed by Court Over Sprawling Patent Dispute

A San Francisco front in a “global patent war” between Google LLC and Sonos Inc. was stayed after the court found Google’s suit to be an improper attempt at forum shopping.

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California also called the companies’ multifront battle “emblematic of the worst aspects of patent litigation” on Nov. 20.

“The resources invested into this dispute already are doubtless enormous,” Judge William Alsup said. “By the end, our parties’ legal bills will likely have been able to build dozens of schools, pay all the teachers, and provide hot lunches to the children.” ...