RIM hit with $147.2 lawsuit verdict at ‘worst time,’ analyst says

A northern California jury has ordered Research In Motion to pay $147.2 million in a patent lawsuit, the latest setback to hit the BlackBerry maker.

The Waterloo, Ont.-based company was fresh out of a tumultuous annual general meeting when the verdict came down Friday in the suit over a remote management system for wireless devices.

A technology analyst says the decision comes at the worst time for RIM (TSX:RIM), which reported a first quarter loss and delayed the release of its much-hyped BlackBerry 10 operating system until next year.

Carmi Levy says the case will have a significant “fiscal and psychological impact” on the technology giant, already targeted by critics and grumbling shareholders.

Levy says fighting the verdict — a move RIM says it is considering — will divert key resources the company should be using to refocus and get back on track.

Research In Motion says it is “disappointed” the jury sided with the Delaware.-based Mformation Technologies and is “evaluating all legal options.”

Shareholders at the annual general meeting this past week expressed their frustration and some pushed for a major shakeup of the company’s board of directors.