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Commitments and Contingencies | 6 Months Ended
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Nov. 30, 2022
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Commitments and Contingencies | COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES The Company is involved in various legal proceedings, including commercial, intellectual property, product liability, and regulatory matters of a nature considered normal for its business. The Company accrues for amounts related to these matters if it is probable that a liability has been incurred, and an amount can be reasonably estimated. The Company discloses such matters when there is at least a reasonable possibility that a material loss may have been incurred. However, the Company cannot predict the outcome of any litigation or the potential for future litigation. C.R. Bard, Inc. v. AngioDynamics, Inc. On January 11, 2012, C.R. Bard, Inc. (“Bard”) filed a suit in the United States District Court of Utah claiming certain of the Company's implantable port products infringe on three U.S. patents held by Bard (US Patent Nos. 7,785,302 ("302"), 7,959,615 (“615”) and 7,947,022 ("022")). The case was stayed pending reexamination in the US Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO"). Following the reexamination proceedings, and the parties’ related appeals to the Federal Circuit which resulted in further proceedings at the USPTO, certain claims of the 615 patent were held invalid, while the remaining claims of the 615 patent and the other two patents were upheld over the prior art references considered in the reexamination proceedings. Thereafter, the case was transferred from the District of Utah to the United States District Court for the District of Delaware (“District of Delaware”). A scheduling order was entered on March 23, 2021. On July 22, 2021, in another case against a different defendant, the District of Utah invalidated multiple claims of the ‘302, ‘022, and ‘615 Patents under 35 USC §101, including claims asserted against the Company. Following the Utah court’s decision, the Company filed a Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings based on collateral estoppel on August 9, 2021. Bard filed its opposition brief on September 2, 2021 and the Company filed a reply on September 9, 2021. Following a hearing on the Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings on December 21, 2021, the District of Delaware stayed the case pending the Federal Circuit's resolution of Bard's appeal from the Utah Decision. Previously, the Company had filed a Motion for Leave to Amend its Answer and Counterclaims on April 14, 2021. This motion sought to add counterclaims for infringement of U.S. Patent Nos. 9,168,365; 9,895,523; and 10,632,295, as well as a counterclaim of inequitable conduct. On November 5, 2021, the Company notified the District of Delaware that the Utah decision was certified for appeal to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Contemporaneously, the Company withdrew its Motion for Leave to Amend its Answer and Counterclaims without prejudice to refile. Oral argument has been scheduled for February 10, 2023, and the appeal remains pending. The Company believes these claims are without merit and intends to defend them vigorously. The Company has not recorded an expense related to the outcome of this litigation because it is not yet possible to determine if a potential loss is probable nor reasonably estimable. On March 10, 2015, Bard and Bard Peripheral Vascular filed suit in the District of Delaware claiming certain of the Company's implantable port products infringe on three U.S. patents held by Bard (US Patent Nos. 8,475,417, 8,545,460, 8,805,478). The case proceeded through trial which began on March 4, 2019. At the close of Bard’s case, the Court granted the Company's oral motion for judgment as a matter of law as well as its motions for summary judgment on the grounds that the asserted patents are invalid, ineligible, not infringed and not willfully infringed. On May 10, 2019, the Company filed a motion for attorney fees and non-taxable expenses under 35 USC Sec. 285. Bard appealed the judgment to the Federal Circuit and on November 10, 2020, the Federal Circuit reversed the judgment in part with respect to Section 101 (subject matter eligibility), and vacated and remanded the trial court’s invalidity and non-infringement judgments. Following remand from the Federal Circuit, a jury trial commenced in the District of Delaware beginning November 14, 2022. On November 22, 2022, a jury entered a verdict finding that certain of the Company’s implantable port products infringe certain claims of U.S. patents held by Bard. The issue of damages was bifurcated by the Court during trial, was not determined by the jury and will be subject to a separate proceeding. The Company strongly disagrees with the claims and the verdict. The issues presented to the jury do not comprise all of the issues to be determined in the case. Equitable issues and patent eligibility issues remain to be decided by the judge, and damages remain to be decided by a jury. The Company believes it has meritorious defenses and positions with respect to the matters remaining to be decided and the jury decision, and intends to vigorously pursue all available remedies and defenses, including post-trial motions and appeals. The parties proposed a post-trial briefing schedule with opening briefs to be filed January 20, 2023. The Company maintains its belief that Bard’s claims are without merit. The Company has not recorded an expense related to the outcome of this litigation because it is not yet possible to determine if a potential loss is probable nor reasonably estimable. On March 8, 2021, Bard filed suit in the District of Delaware asserting certain of the Company’s port products (including certain related infusion sets) infringe U.S. Patent Nos. 8,025,639, 9,603,992 (“992”) and 9,603,993 (“993”). On May 20, 2021, the Company filed a Motion to Dismiss Bard’s claims with respect to the ’992 and ’993 patents. On July 22, 2021, the Company submitted the Utah court’s decision invalidating claims of the related ‘302, ‘022, and ‘615 Patents as supplemental authority in support of its Motion to Dismiss. The parties agreed to submit supplemental briefing to address the Utah court’s decision. Bard submitted its brief on August 12, 2021, and the Company submitted its reply on September 2, 2021. On December 21, 2021, the District of Delaware stayed the case pending the Federal Circuit's resolution of Bard's appeal of the Utah decision invalidating multiple claims of the ‘302, ‘022, and ‘615 patents under 35 USC §101. The Company maintains its belief that Bard's claims are without merit. The Company has not recorded an expense related to the outcome of this litigation because it is not yet possible to determine if a potential loss is probable nor reasonably estimable. AngioDynamics, Inc. v. C.R. Bard, Inc. On May 30, 2017, the Company commenced an action in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York entitled AngioDynamics, Inc. v. C.R. Bard, Inc. and Bard Access Systems, Inc. (“Bard”). In this action, the Company alleged that Bard had illegally tied the sales of its tip location systems to the sales of its PICCs in violation of federal antitrust laws and this practice had an anti-competitive effect in the US market for PICCs. The Company sought both monetary damages and injunctive relief. On October 6, 2022, a jury verdict was rendered finding Bard did not restrain competition in violation of federal antitrust laws.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for legal proceedings, legal contingencies, litigation, regulatory and environmental matters and other contingencies. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2127136 + Details
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