U.S. Aluminum Corporation/texas, a Corporation v. Alumax, Inc., a Corporation

CANBY, Circuit Judge:

U.S. Aluminum Corporation sued Alumax, Inc. for malicious prosecution. The district court granted Alumax’s motion for summary judgment on the ground of collateral estoppel, 636 F.Supp. 441, and Aluminum appealed. We review the district court’s entry of summary judgment de novo. Fagner v. Heckler, 779 F.2d 641, 543 (9th Cir.1985). We reverse and remand for further proceedings.

FACTS AND PROCEEDINGS BELOW

In the first lawsuit, Aluminum successfully defended a patent infringement action brought by Alumax’s subsidiary Howmet Aluminum Corp. The district court awarded attorneys…