LeapFrog, Fisher Price take playground brawl to court

Here's proof that the courtoom is just a few steps removed from the schoolyard: LeapFrog, the toy company that jumped out of nowhere (with a little help from ex-con junk-bond king Michael Milken) to corner the market in talking electronic books for kids, is in court suing Mattel, saying that the toy giant's Fisher Price PowerTouch pad violates LeapFrog's patents on its similar LeapPad toys. The court battle has all the hallmarks of a classic playground fight, with LeapFrog whining that "the reason [Fisher Price] developed the PowerTouch was the LeapPad's phenomenal success in the marketplace," and Mattel shrieking that LeapPad's patent shouldn't be valid. Given that LeapFrog's U.S. consumer revenues dropped by 21% last year, we're not surprised that they've chosen to lob some spitballs. We think the judge should just give both sides a time out and send them to their rooms, but we somehow suspect that's not an option.