Google Inc (GOOG): A Lawsu…? Heyyy, Don’t We Know You From Somewhere?

Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) has been involved in a number of lawsuits over the years. And it has also been hauled in front of a number of government agencies around the world for different aspects of its business practices. Most of the time, Google lawyers may be on a first-name basis with judges or opposing counsel, but there are not too many occasions where  Google looks across the courtroom to see  an adversary and think there is a case of deja vu going on.

Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG), it is time for you to meet Deja and Vu. They are in a Florida courtroom as a patent-licensing firm known as Intellectual Ventures. which has filed a patent-infringement lawsuit against Google subsidiary Motorola Mobility claiming  that the handset maker has violated seven patents.

If you are someone who follows Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) happenings often, you might notice that this sounds familiar – Intellectual Ventures is suing Motorola Mobility for multiple patent infringements. Yes, you have. This is not a recording, and this is not us just catching up. We heard this refrain before, as Motorola Mobility and Intellectual Ventures are in fact engaged in another patent lawsuit, this one involving six patents and is being fought out in Delaware. Intellectual Ventures claims that the patents involved in the Florida case are not the same ones in the Delaware case.

And by the way, Intellectual Ventures has also filed a similar infringement case against Capital One. Despite the seeming frequency of these suits conjuring up thoughts of Intellectual Ventures as just another “patent troll,” the firm said these suits are “are a necessary step in protecting our patent rights and fulfilling our commitments to our investors, inventors and licensees.” Referring to Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) and Motorola Mobility specifically, Intellectual Ventures says it is pressing forward because it has been unable to reach an agreement.

In response to a “patent troll” charge, Intellectual Ventures – which claims to employs scientists, engineers and inventors and claims to file hundreds of patent applications every year – said in a statement, “We’re fighting to stop patent trolls’ use of low-quality patents to extort money from companies that actually innovate and make real things.” Of course, as this lawsuit is brand new, Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) has yet to comment on the suit or the merits of the case. But we will make popcorn and wait, not holding our breath that Google will say anything meaningful.

What do you think? Is Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) truly facing legitimate lawsuits, or are you a healthy skeptic when it comes to these companies and these kinds of lawsuits? Does your perspective change  with a lawsuit that claims multiple patent infringements? Give us your thoughts on patent law and these kinds of infringement lawsuits in the comments section below.

DISCLOSURE: None