A federal appeals court has denied Lexmark"s request to consider reimposing an injunction against a firm that makes components that allow generic replacement ink cartridges to work in Lexmark printers. The ruling by the US Courts of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, leaves Lexmark"s lawsuit against Static Control Components in bad shape.
In December 2002, Lexmark filed a lawsuit claiming that SCC"s Smartek 520/620 chips violated the US"s controversial Digital Millennium Copyright Act. In February 2003, Judge Karl Forester issued a preliminary injunction banning Static Control Components from selling Smartek replacement chips for the Lexmark cartridges. In October 2004, the Sixth Circuit lifted this injunction. Immediately following this ruling, Lexmark filed a motion for re-hearing. The Sixth Circuit denied that request in its latest ruling (made on 15 February).