Yahoo! and Facebook beg US court for more time

We're negotiating here, bitch

Yahoo! and Facebook have asked a US court for more time to prepare their filings because their lawyers think that may help them to reach a settlement.

Both firms want to push various document deadlines into July and move the next hearing forward while they prepare their motions and figure out if they can reach an arrangement.

"The parties are currently engaged in settlement negotiations to resolve this dispute. The parties believe that a further extension will facilitate settlement," a filing from Yahoo! said.

"Counsel for Facebook does not oppose these extensions. Yahoo! and Facebook are in agreement that additional time is warranted for the parties to prepare their submissions, will not adversely affect the case schedule, and will facilitate settlement."

Yahoo! started the lawsuit against Facebook earlier this year, alleging that the social network had infringed on 10 of its patents, in what was widely seen as an attempt by the ailing web firm to grub up some money fast since it moved right before Facebook's IPO.

Instead of capitulating to Yahoo!'s demands in order to protect its coming-out party, Facebook sued right back, claiming infringement on 10 of its own patents, many of which had been recently acquired.

The tit-for-tat litigation continued with Yahoo! tacking on another two patents to its suit at the end of April.

Both firms have exchanged the usual barbs about their respective integrity or lack thereof and the general without-merit-ness of each other's cases.

The judge granted the time extensions and scheduled the next hearing, which he will consider Facebook's motion to strike and/or dismiss Yahoo!'s claims and defences of inequitable conduct, for 24 August at 9am. ®