Shanghai Court Rejects iPad Injunction Request, Waits for Higher Court Decision

The Shanghai Pudong New Area People's Court has denied Proview's request for an injunction to stop iPad sales and suspended the case pending a ruling from the High Court, reports Reuters.

The decision, announced on Thursday on the court's website, gives Apple some leeway in a larger battle over the iPad trademark in China, which is important to Apple not only as a consumer market, but also because the country is a major production base for the iPad and other of its products.

On January 5th Apple filed an appeal with the Higher People's Court of Guangdong Province, after losing its claim to the trademark in the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court. With the Shanghai case suspended, Apple will now be able to focus its energies on winning its appeal in the Higher Court.


"It's a great help to Apple by giving it some breathing space," said Ren Wenfeng, a lawyer at Guo Ce Law Office, which is not involved in the Proview-Apple dispute.

"But it's not clear whether Apple will eventually win the trademark infringement case in China, as the crucial thing will be the ruling by the Guangdong higher court."

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