O’FALLON, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Synergetics USA, Inc. (NASDAQ: SURG) announced today that the U.S. District Court has ruled on post-judgment motions filed by defendants Charles Hurst and Michael McGowan. In December 2005, a judgment in favor of Synergetics was entered in federal court against Hurst and McGowan on all counts after a jury found that they had misappropriated Synergetics’ trade secrets, breached confidentiality agreements, breached their fiduciary duties to Synergetics, and had intentionally interfered with Synergetics’ business relationships. In February 2007, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the judgment in all respects. However, prior to the appellate court decision, Hurst and McGowan filed in the District Court a motion to vacate the judgment and a motion seeking sanctions, asserting that Synergetics engaged in improper pre-trial conduct. Today, the Court dismissed the defendants’ motion to vacate the judgment, allowing Synergetics to retain its judgment against Hurst and McGowan. The Court also awarded Hurst and McGowan $1.17 million in sanctions, which the Company intends to offset against the original $2.35 million judgment in the Company’s favor against Hurst and McGowan.
