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Comment by Kiro | Hacker News Reader

Dumb question maybe but how can they sue a Swedish company? As far as I know there are no such things as software patents in Sweden.

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Probably because Mojang sell their product(s) in the US.

But what happens when they don't have a legal entity in the US? Who will enforce it?

They can stop the distribution in the United Stares. In addition, Swedish courts would probably honor the decision of the US court.

How would that be enforced for a download-only product? Also, there is another famous swedish operation which still hasn't been shut down despite enormous efforts by US firms.

edit: ok, any app store downloads probably could be shut down.

Domain seizure?

Or cutting off one's access to credit card processing, though I note that Wikileaks managed to deal with that in the end.

Why would Sweden honor damages from a patent from the US which does not exist in the EU?

Swedish courts would not honor such a ruling if it were to be, since it would be against European law (there are no software patents in Europe). Generally court decisions almost never have international validity (especially business related ones).

this is a civil lawsuit (x has to give money to y because he created a damage), not criminal. If they deem the trial fair, whatever the underlaying law was, they will enforce the decision.

If the business is in Sweden, it would have to go to court in Sweden, would it not? Does Sweden actually allow judges to have a look at a foreign decision and then just declare their ruling, no trial, nothing? I suspect not (eager to learn if otherwise)

I think there are international treaties for that, to avoid having a re-trial. They rubber-stamp the foreign decision, and it becomes national stuff (still talking about civil).

Stop distribution? With what, magic? Hasn't everyone learned by now that you can't stop distribution of digital data?

You can never stop the determined. But the courts could certainly pull the app from the Android store.

Last notch tweeted Xbox sales were over 3 million, at $20 each that's $60m worth of sales. No idea about Android or iOS.

Restitution could come from revenues of any US product sales or assets, not just the specific one being contested.

Stopping to sell it should be enough: "Looks like you are from the US. Sorry, we cannot sell Minecraft to you. Want to know more?"

They could sure as hell stop mojang getting paid. I don't think they care if people continue to pirate the infringing program.

Enforcement limited to the U.S. European courts do not honor software patents.

No offense meant, but where does this idea come from? I hope it's not common - US Court decisions are valid in the US. Period.

Anything else is an international thing, and unless covered by treaties signed into law between countries, courts from one country never just honour some other countrie's legal system.

Extradition is possible on crimes where both countries agree it's a crime and generally have an extradition treaty, or policy for such requests, but to think that the US courts are somehow global is factually incorrect.

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