BATESVILLE, Ark. — Bad Boy Mowers of Batesville, Ark., has filed a lawsuit at Spartan Mowers, also of Batesville, for patent infringement, according to a story in Arkansas Business. Bad Boy has accused Spartan, which was incorporated in November 2015, of “making, using, selling, and/or offering for sale mowers that infringe” on the patent, according to the story.
The shared history between the two companies makes for a complicated case. According to the story:
"The founder of Spartan Mowers is Robert Foster, who until November 2013 was a shareholder of Bad Boy, which manufactures and sells residential and commercial grade zero turn mowers and has for many years. Foster sold all of his shares to Bad Boy almost three years ago.
"And it was Foster who invented and received the patent for the 'Independent Four Wheel Vibration Damping System for Riding Mowers,' according to Bad Boy’s lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Batesville.
"Bad Boy’s lawsuit said, however, that Foster had 'assigned all rights, title, and interest in the patent' to Bad Boy.
"Bad Boy wants a judge to say that its patent is valid and enforceable. And it is seeking an unspecified amount of damages against Spartan."
