Successful revocation proceedings for Match Group and their dating service Tinder

Case Law | 04.07.2024

In a significant legal battle, HOFFMANN EITLE partners Dr. Dominik Scheible and Thomas Becher along with Dr. Thomas Gniadek of Simmons & Simmons, represented their clients in an oral hearing before the German Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof) on 2 July 2024. The appeal in question involved an action for the revocation of a patent held by Hoccer Betriebs GmbH, which had been asserted against Match Group LLC due to their popular dating service, Tinder.

The case has a complex history, marked by several critical victories across different instances. Initially, Hoccer Betriebs GmbH secured a judgment by default in the first instance of infringement. However, our team at HOFFMANN EITLE responded strategically by bringing forth a nullity action against the patent. Simultaneously, Simmons & Simmons successfully won the first instance of infringement proceedings, reinforcing our collaborative efforts.

Our persistence and rigorous legal strategy yielded results as HOFFMANN EITLE succeeded in the first instance of the nullity proceedings, leading to the revocation of Hoccer's patent. This success was solidified as the German Federal Court of Justice dismissed Hoccer's appeal, thereby revoking the patent with final effect. 

Read more about this case on JUVE Patent here. 

返回