Medtronic must pay $226 million fine

The headquarters of Medtronic in Fridley, Minnesota.
MPR Photo/Annie Baxter
A federal judge is ordering Fridley-based Medtronic to pay a $226 million patent infringement award to rival Johnson & Johnson.
Tuesday the judge rejected Medtronic's arguments to overturn a federal jury verdict reached in September. The jury had found that Medtronic's spinal screws violate a patent owned by Johnson & Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Edward Harrington in Boston has scheduled a hearing on Dec. 19 to consider Johnson & Johnson's request to halt Medtronic from using the patented spinal screws.
Gallery
Grow the Future of Public Media
MPR's budget year comes to a close on June 30. Help us close the gap by becoming a Sustainer today. When you make a recurring monthly gift, your gift will be matched by the MPR Member Fund for a whole year!