Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Note 7 - Contingency

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Note 7 - Contingency
9 Months Ended
Dec. 29, 2013
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]

Note 7 – Contingency


BreathableBaby, LLC (“BreathableBaby”) filed a complaint against the Company and Crown Crafts Infant Products, Inc. (“CCIP”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, on January 11, 2012 in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, alleging that CCIP’s mesh crib liner infringes BreathableBaby’s patent rights relating to its air permeable infant bedding technology. The Company believes that it has meritorious defenses to the claims asserted in the complaint, and the Company intends to defend itself vigorously against all such claims. The Company and CCIP filed a motion for summary judgment of non-infringement on May 14, 2012. On July 25, 2012, the Court entered an order denying that motion without prejudice to refiling it at the close of discovery. In doing so, the Court did not rule on the merits of the Company’s motion, but instead determined that further discovery was required before a motion for summary judgment could be decided. Discovery accordingly was resumed; however, on August 6, 2013, upon becoming concerned that the costs of discovery and litigation were quickly surpassing the amount in controversy, the Court ordered a temporary stay of all discovery.


CCIP was granted a patent in September 2013 related to its mesh crib liner by the United States Patent and Trademark Office and has capitalized $58,000 of costs associated with applying for this patent. In addition, the Company’s policy is to capitalize legal and other costs incurred in the defense of the Company’s patents when it is believed that the future economic benefit of the patent will be maintained or increased and a successful defense is probable. In this regard, the Company has capitalized legal and other costs in the amount of $990,000 associated with its defense of the BreathableBaby complaint into its own patent for CCIP’s mesh crib liner. The Company is amortizing the patent application costs and litigation costs associated with CCIP’s mesh crib liner over the expected life of the patent. A different outcome of the BreathableBaby litigation could result in an impairment charge of up to the $1.0 million carrying value of the patent associated with CCIP’s mesh crib liner.


In addition to the foregoing civil complaint, the Company is, from time to time, involved in various other legal and regulatory proceedings relating to claims arising in the ordinary course of its business. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any such proceeding the outcome of which, individually or in the aggregate, is expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.