In a saga marked by persistent legal setbacks, Houston-based patent attorney William Ramey finds himself facing yet another financial blow. After a federal judge in Houston dismissed a case filed by Ramey and his client, VDPP, against Volkswagen, they were ordered to pay $207,000 in legal fees to the German automaker. This ruling adds to a growing list of sanctions against Ramey, who has initiated over 100 lawsuits this year.
The lawsuit, which claimed that Volkswagen’s 2020 backup camera system infringed on a VDPP patent, was deemed “frivolous” and marred by significant errors. U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal, in a pointed ruling, described the case as one that “never should have been filed,” citing misconduct that tainted the entire litigation process. Notably, Rosenthal held Ramey personally liable, referencing his history of bringing cases that warranted sanctions.
Despite the setback, Ramey has maintained that he and his client “respect all court orders” and will appeal decisions they believe to be incorrect, including this one. Volkswagen, for its part, expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, calling it “appropriate given the facts of this case.”
The legal fees were accrued by Volkswagen’s legal team, which logged 256 hours at rates ranging from $600 to $979 per hour. This recent sanction is just one of several that have been levied against Ramey in recent years. A review revealed that federal judges in Texas and other states have imposed fee sanctions on him or his clients at least seven times in the past four years, totaling over $810,000. Among these cases, more than $250,000 is owed in lawsuits Ramey brought against Google.
In one notable case, a federal judge in San Francisco ordered Ramey’s client, EscapeX IP, to pay over $191,000 to Google after filing what was deemed a frivolous lawsuit against YouTube. Additional sanctions followed, with the same judge later imposing a $65,000 fee award. EscapeX has since appealed these sanctions, along with others.
Ramey also faces potential sanctions from Microsoft, which accused his firm of pursuing “quick, nuisance-value settlements” on behalf of shell companies with minimal assets. Microsoft claims that any settlement money is distributed to Ramey’s firm and its litigation funders. In response, Ramey has filed his own sanctions request against Microsoft and its legal representatives, accusing them of relying on “patently false” information.
The legal battles are far from over, as U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez has yet to rule on the competing motions involving Microsoft. The ongoing disputes highlight the increasingly contentious nature of Ramey’s legal practices, which have drawn scrutiny from multiple federal judges.
This unfolding drama serves as a stark reminder of the high stakes and potential pitfalls in the world of patent litigation, where aggressive legal tactics can sometimes lead to costly consequences.
