Contempt of Court ruling based on violation of an injunction by Camtek, Ltd.
Rudolph Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: RTEC), a leading provider of process characterization equipment and software for the semiconductor, LED and solar industries, announced today that it was awarded $1.29 million as a result of a favorable ruling to a motion for contempt of court which Rudolph obtained against Camtek, Ltd (NASDAQ: CAMT) as part of a patent infringement suit that it filed against Camtek in 2006.
The contempt ruling was based on Camtek's violation of an injunction issued in 2009 by the US Federal District Court in Minneapolis which prohibited Camtek from contacting customers in the United States in order to offer for sale its Falcon and equivalent inspection tools. According to Federal District Court Judge Michael Davis, Camtek "knowingly and in bad faith violated the Court's clear and unambiguous injunction." Further, Judge Davis stated that the damages were awarded "in light of the flagrant nature of [Camtek's] behavior" and serve both "as a stern warning to a party which has shown a clear lack of respect not only for this Court's instructions, but also for a jury's verdict" and "to discourage Defendant from further unlawful behavior in the future."
The foregoing result, while arising out of the patent infringement case against Camtek, is an issue which is separate and distinct from the limited re-trial on liability which was ordered by the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in 2011 (see Rudolph's press release of August 23, 2011). The limited retrial is expected to occur in late 2012.
Rudolph Technologies, Inc. is a worldwide leader in the design, development, manufacture and support of defect inspection, process control metrology, and data analysis systems and software used by semiconductor device manufacturers worldwide. Rudolph provides a full-fab solution through its families of proprietary products that provide critical yield-enhancing information, enabling microelectronic device manufacturers to drive down the costs and time to market of their products. The company's yield management solutions are used in both the wafer processing and final manufacturing of ICs, as well as in emerging markets such as LED and Solar. Headquartered in Flanders, New Jersey, Rudolph supports its customers with a worldwide sales and service organization. Additional information can be found on the company's web site at www.rudolphtech.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act") which include projections
related to the protection of its intellectual property as well as other
matters that are not purely historical data. Rudolph wishes to take
advantage of the "safe harbor" provided for by the Act and cautions that
actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of
various factors, including risks and uncertainties, many of which are
beyond Rudolph's control. Such factors include, but are not limited to,
results of future litigation and the challenges presented related to the
enforcement of its patents. Additional information and considerations
regarding the risks faced by Rudolph are available in Rudolph's Form
10-K report for the year ended December 31, 2011 and other filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission. As the forward-looking
statements are based on Rudolph's current expectations, the company
cannot guarantee any related future results, levels of activity,
performance or achievements. Rudolph does not assume any obligation to
update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.
Contacts:
Rudolph Technologies, Inc.
Investors:
Steven R. Roth,
973-448-4302
steven.roth@rudolphtech.com
or
Trade
Press:
Virginia Becker, 952-259-1647
virginia.becker@rudolphtech.com
