Judge slams Google and Oracle over conduct in Android Java suit

A US judge has criticised Google and Oracle for their legal strategies in the ongoing legal battle over the alleged use of Java technology in Android.

US District Judge William Alsup said that Oracle's estimates of likely damage are too high, and that Google's view that its rival had suffered little financial loss is equally unrealistic.

"You're both asking for the moon and you should be more reasonable," he said, according to Reuters reports.

Google has maintained that Oracle could claim $1.4bn to $6.1bn in damages, but Oracle believes that $2.6bn is a more appropriate figure.

Judge Alsup questioned Oracle's figures, particularly in light of the $700 per hour fee the company paid the assessor who came up with the damages figure. He also criticised the company's legal team for being less than forthcoming with financial data.

"This is a public proceeding. You lawyers and companies are not going to handcuff the court," he said. "This is not a wholly owned subsidiary of Oracle Corp."

Google also caught the rough side of Alsup's tongue, for its arguments that Oracle suffered no damage at all.

"Zero is ridiculous. They're totally wrong on that," he said.

Judge Alsup will rule on the case shortly, but declined to give a firm date.