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Note 11 - Legal Proceedings
12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2024
Notes to Financial Statements  
Legal Matters and Contingencies [Text Block]

NOTE 11 LEGAL PROCEEDINGS:

 

On October 10, 2023, the US District Court for the District of Delaware granted final judgment in favor of the Company in its trademark infringement lawsuit against air conditioning and heating products provider Emerson Quiet Kool and wholesaler Home Easy (the “defendants”). Among other things, the court order issues an injunction and directs the US Patent and Tr ademark Office to cancel the d efendants’ existing and proposed " E merson Q uiet K ool " trademark s and prohibit s d efendants from register ing or applying to register, or using t he same mark or any other mark or name containing the word "Emerson" going forward . The total judgment awarded to the Company has increased from approximately $6.5 million to approximately $10.4 million, inclusive of disgorgement of wrongful profits, attorney's fees and enhanced damages. The aggregate award to the Company also includes the $4.1 million of advanced deposits previously paid to the Company. The $4.1 million of advanced deposits was reduced by approximately $1 million of incurred legal fees. The remaining balance of $3.1 million was released by the Company to other income during the quarter ended September 30, 2023. Like any judgement, there is no guarantee that the Company will be able to collect the entire judgement or if it is able to collect, how soon it will be able to do so. The defendants have filed separate bankruptcy petitions in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey, and there is no guarantee that those bankruptcy proceedings will not have any effect on the ability of the Company to collect the judgement.  The Company is not currently a party to any other legal proceedings other than litigation matters, in most cases involving ordinary and routine claims incidental to its business. Management cannot estimate with certainty the Company’s ultimate legal and financial liability with respect to such pending litigation matters. However, management believes, based on its examination of such matters, that the Company’s ultimate liability will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.