Google originally wanted Oracle to fork over more than $4 million to cover the expenses they racked up in the patent trial that Google ended up winning in May.
Oracle attempted to dodge the costs by claiming the trail was "a landmark issue of national importance," but Judge William Alsup disagreed, saying Oracle did not place a heavy emphasis on copyright claims until late in the trial.
"While it is true that a copyright issue presented, copyrightability of APIs, was of great importance to the computer industry, this is not enough to deny costs," Alsup said in his ruling. "Oracle did not bring its API copyright claim for the benefit of addressing 'a landmark issue of national importance,' but instead fell back on an overreaching (albeit somewhat novel) theory of copyright infringement for its own financial interests late in litigation."
Judge Alsup called Oracle's copyright infringement "ultimately overreaching," and the company's crafting of those claims led to increased media attention. He also pointed out that Oracle’s first damages report barely touched on copyright claims.