Trek Technology v Ritronics Components: Interrogatories in Assessment of Damages
Trek Technology (Singapore) Pte Ltd sued Ritronics Components (S'pore) Pte Ltd for patent breach. After Justice Lai Kew Chai ruled in favor of Trek Technology on liability, Trek Technology sought to issue interrogatories during the assessment of damages. The Assistant Registrar ordered the interrogatories withdrawn, and Choo Han Teck J affirmed this decision, dismissing Trek Technology's appeal. The court held that interrogatories are generally inappropriate after the trial has commenced, and the plaintiff should rely on cross-examination instead.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
High Court1.2 Outcome
Appeal dismissed.
1.3 Case Type
Civil
1.4 Judgment Type
Grounds of Decision
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Appeal regarding interrogatories issued after trial during assessment of damages. The court dismissed the appeal, finding interrogatories inappropriate at this stage.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trek Technology (Singapore) Pte Ltd | Plaintiff, Appellant | Corporation | Appeal dismissed | Lost | |
| Ritronics Components (S'pore) Pte Ltd | Defendant, Respondent | Corporation | Order of Assistant Registrar affirmed | Won |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Choo Han Teck | Judge | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Jason Chan | Amica Law LLC |
| Wong Tsung Wei | Amica Law LLC |
| Wendy Low Wei Ling | Hee Theng Fong & Co |
4. Facts
- Trek Technology sued Ritronics for patent infringement related to thumb drives.
- Lai J ruled in favor of Trek Technology on the issue of liability.
- Trek Technology sought to issue interrogatories during the assessment of damages.
- Ritronics had previously filed affidavits denying manufacturing or production in Singapore.
- The plaintiff alleged the defendant planned to sell 100,000 BioSlimDisk worldwide.
- The defendant claimed to have invested more than $1,000,000 in research and manufacture.
- The defendant admitted to taking 100 pieces of the products to an international exhibition, CeBit, and brought back 70.
5. Formal Citations
- Trek Technology (Singapore) Pte Ltd v Ritronics Components (S'pore) Pte Ltd, Suit 672/2002, RA 275/2006, [2006] SGHC 215
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Suit 672/2002 filed | |
| Lai Kew Chai J decided the question of liability in the plaintiff’s favour | |
| Trek Technology (Singapore) Pte Ltd v F E Global Electronics Pte Ltd and others and other suits (No 2) [2005] 3 SLR 389 | |
| Decision of Lai J was affirmed by the Court of Appeal | |
| Corporacion del Nacional de Cobre de Chile v Metallgescellschaft Ltd AG (The Times, 6 January 1999) | |
| Plaintiff applied for directions to commence the AD proceedings | |
| Affidavit verifying the defendant’s list of documents in discovery was filed | |
| Defendant’s managing director filed another affidavit | |
| Plaintiff issued interrogatories | |
| Assistant Registrar directed that the interrogatories issued by the plaintiff be withdrawn | |
| Judgment reserved | |
| Appeal dismissed |
7. Legal Issues
- Propriety of Interrogatories After Trial
- Outcome: The court held that interrogatories are generally inappropriate after the trial has commenced and the plaintiff should rely on cross-examination instead.
- Category: Procedural
- Sub-Issues:
- Timing of interrogatories
- Relevance of interrogatories to assessment of damages
- Use of interrogatories to save costs
8. Remedies Sought
- Damages
- Assessment of Damages
9. Cause of Actions
- Patent Infringement
10. Practice Areas
- Commercial Litigation
- Intellectual Property Litigation
11. Industries
- Technology
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trek Technology (Singapore) Pte Ltd v F E Global Electronics Pte Ltd and others and other suits (No 2) | High Court | Yes | [2005] 3 SLR 389 | Singapore | The decision of Lai J on liability in the plaintiff's favor was affirmed on appeal. |
| F E Global Electronics Pte Ltd and others v Trek Technology (Singapore) Pte Ltd and another appeal | Court of Appeal | Yes | [2006] 1 SLR 874 | Singapore | Affirmed the decision of Lai J on liability in the plaintiff's favor. |
| A-G v Gaskill | Chancery Division | Yes | (1882) 20 Ch Div 519 | England and Wales | Cited for the principle that interrogatories can save the expense of proving a part of the case, but the court distinguished its approach. |
| Det Danske Hedeselskabet v KDM International PLC | N/A | Yes | [1924] 2 Lloyds Rep 534 | N/A | Cited for the principle that questions that can be asked in cross-examination cannot be the subject of interrogatories unless the interrogating party may be irremediably prejudiced, but the court distinguished its approach. |
| Corporacion del Nacional de Cobre de Chile v Metallgescellschaft Ltd AG | N/A | Yes | The Times, 6 January 1999 | N/A | Cited as an unreported case concerning the appropriateness of interrogatories for the purposes of a summary judgment application, but found not directly relevant. |
13. Applicable Rules
| Rule Name |
|---|
| No applicable rules |
14. Applicable Statutes
| Statute Name | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Order 26 r 1 Rules of Court | Singapore |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Interrogatories
- Assessment of Damages
- Liability
- Discovery
- Patent Infringement
- Thumb Drive
- Cross-examination
15.2 Keywords
- Interrogatories
- Assessment of Damages
- Patent Infringement
- Civil Procedure
- Singapore
17. Areas of Law
| Area Name | Relevance Score |
|---|---|
| Civil Practice | 75 |
| Patent Amendments | 60 |
| Litigation | 40 |
| Evidence Law | 30 |
| Contract Law | 25 |
16. Subjects
- Civil Procedure
- Intellectual Property
- Patent Law