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Commitment and Contingencies (Notes)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2023
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Contingencies Contingencies
On April 27, 2022, Entropic Communications, LLC (“Entropic”) filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas alleging that Charter infringed six patents relating to the deployment of certain set-top boxes, cable modems and cable modem termination systems. Entropic seeks monetary damages, including future license fees. Trial is scheduled for December 4, 2023. On February 10, 2023, Entropic filed a separate lawsuit against Charter in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. The lawsuit alleges infringement of two patents that also relate to the deployment of certain set-top boxes and cable modems. Entropic seeks monetary damages. Trial is scheduled for October 7, 2024. On February 10, 2023, Entropic filed two more lawsuits against Charter in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. The two lawsuits allege infringement of a total of twelve patents that relate to certain set-top boxes. Entropic seeks monetary damages, including future license fees. The two cases have been consolidated for pre-trial purposes. The first trial is scheduled for December 9, 2024. While the Company is vigorously defending these suits and is unable to predict the outcome of the Entropic lawsuits, the Company does not expect that the litigation will have a material effect on its operations, financial condition, or cash flows.

In addition to the Entropic litigation described above, the Company is a defendant or co-defendant in several lawsuits involving alleged infringement of various intellectual property relating to various aspects of its businesses. Other industry participants are also defendants in certain of these cases or related cases. In the event that a court ultimately determines that the Company infringes on any intellectual property, the Company may be subject to substantial damages and/or an injunction that could require the Company or its vendors to modify certain products and services the Company offers to its subscribers, as well as negotiate royalty or license agreements with respect to the intellectual property at issue. While the Company believes the lawsuits are without merit and intends to defend the actions vigorously, no assurance can be given that any adverse outcome would not be material to the Company’s operations, consolidated financial condition, results of operations, or liquidity. The Company cannot predict the outcome of any such claims nor can it reasonably estimate a range of possible loss.

The Company is party to other lawsuits, claims and regulatory inquiries that arise in the ordinary course of conducting its business. The ultimate outcome of these other legal matters pending against the Company cannot be predicted, and although such lawsuits and claims are not expected individually to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s operations, consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity, such lawsuits could have, in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the Company’s operations, consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. Whether or not the
Company ultimately prevails in any particular lawsuit or claim, litigation can be time consuming and costly and injure the Company’s reputation.