Microsoft seeks stay in Word patent dispute

Microsoft has filed an emergency motion to stay last week's ruling ordering the company to stop selling Word in the United States.

The injunction, issued by East Texas U.S. District Judge Leonard Davis, followed findings by a jury in May that Microsoft had willfully violated a patent owned by the Canadian software firm i4i relating to custom XML. Microsoft has 60 days to comply.

Davis also ordered Microsoft to pay i4i $200 million for the patent infringement plus another $40 million for the extra finding of it being willful.

According to the court's online docket for the case, the emergency motion asked for both a stay against the injunction and a "waive of bond requirement," but because the motion has been sealed by the court, no other details are available.

The court docket does not indicate when the motion may be heard or ruled on.