Arm’s original Delaware lawsuit over Qualcomm’s acquisition of Nuvia ended in the district court with judgment for Nuvia after a 2024 jury trial and a September 2025 post-trial ruling. The jury found that Arm had not proved Qualcomm breached Nuvia’s Architecture License Agreement (ALA), found Qualcomm’s use of Arm code licensed under Qualcomm’s own ALA, and deadlocked on whether Nuvia breached its agreement. Arm appealed, and its May 2026 filing said the appeal was pending. A separate lawsuit brought by Qualcomm against Arm is still proceeding, with Qualcomm reporting a trial date of October 5, 2026.
What the Arm–Qualcomm dispute is about
Arm licenses its instruction set architecture (ISA)—the defined instructions that processor designs implement so compatible software can run. Its architecture reference manual is used by engineers when designing CPUs.
The first lawsuit, filed by Arm in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware in August 2022, centers on Qualcomm’s 2021 acquisition of Nuvia. Arm argued that Nuvia’s rights under its separate ALA did not transfer through the acquisition. Arm terminated Nuvia’s ALA in March 2022 and sought enforcement of termination provisions, including stopping use of and destroying technology developed under that agreement.
Qualcomm disputed Arm’s interpretation. It argued that Qualcomm’s own Arm architecture and technology licenses covered its architected CPU cores and products using technology obtained through Nuvia. Those were the parties’ competing contract positions, not findings that every allegation was true.
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What the December 2024 jury decided
The jury trial ran from December 16 through December 20, 2024. Its findings addressed different agreements and claims:
| Issue | Jury result |
|---|---|
| Whether Qualcomm breached the Nuvia ALA | Arm did not prove the breach |
| Whether Qualcomm’s use of Arm code was licensed under Qualcomm’s own ALA | Qualcomm proved that it was licensed |
| Whether Nuvia breached its own ALA | No verdict; the jury was deadlocked |
The deadlock is important. It is inaccurate to say that the jury found Nuvia did not breach; that question was unresolved at trial.
How the judge ended the original case
On September 30, 2025, Judge Maryellen Noreika denied Arm’s renewed request for judgment as a matter of law or a new trial. She granted Nuvia judgment as a matter of law on Arm’s failure to prove harm, eliminating the remaining claim without holding a second trial, and directed entry of final judgment.
The opinion states: “There will be no second trial on that issue, and, therefore, ARM’s motion for a new trial is denied.” This ruling resolved the remaining district-court claim on the evidentiary record; it was not a universal ruling that Arm’s licensing model is invalid or that every Arm licensee has the same rights.
Appeal status
Arm’s Form 20-F filed May 26, 2026 says Arm appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and that the appeal was pending at the filing date. An appeal can review legal or procedural errors; the filing does not itself reopen the district-court trial or establish a new result.
Qualcomm’s separate lawsuit against Arm
Qualcomm filed a different Delaware action against Arm in April 2024. Qualcomm alleges that Arm failed to supply deliverables required under Qualcomm’s ALA. After amendments, Qualcomm added allegations tied to Arm’s termination notice, alleged interference and competition-related conduct, and the Technology License Agreement. Arm disputes those allegations and says it intends to defend itself.
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| Feature | Arm’s 2022 case | Qualcomm’s 2024 case |
|---|---|---|
| Who sued whom | Arm sued Qualcomm, Qualcomm Technologies and Nuvia | Qualcomm sued Arm |
| Core agreements and allegations | Effect of Nuvia’s ALA after acquisition, termination and use of Nuvia-developed technology | Alleged failure to provide ALA deliverables, plus claims involving termination, interference, competition-related conduct and the TLA |
| Procedural position | District-court judgment entered after the 2024 jury trial and September 2025 post-trial ruling; Arm reported a pending appeal in May 2026 | Ongoing; Qualcomm reported a scheduled trial start of October 5, 2026 |
| What remains unresolved | Issues raised on appeal | Qualcomm’s claims and Arm’s defenses |
Recent procedural changes in Qualcomm’s case
- Arm’s May 2026 Form 20-F says Qualcomm’s motion to add Arm Limited to the April 2024 action was denied in January 2026.
- A subsequent separate action against Arm Limited was consolidated with the April action in March 2026.
- Qualcomm filed an amended complaint against Arm Limited on March 30, 2026; Arm moved to strike it.
- Qualcomm’s SEC filing reports a trial start date of October 5, 2026. Arm’s filing describes an expected trial in the fourth quarter of 2026. The date is scheduled, not a trial already completed as of September 30, 2026.
Arm’s and Qualcomm’s positions on termination notices
Qualcomm reported that Arm withdrew an October 2024 notice alleging Qualcomm had breached Qualcomm’s own ALA. According to Qualcomm’s filing, Arm notified Qualcomm on January 8, 2025 that it had no current plan to terminate that agreement while reserving rights pending litigation. This is Qualcomm’s account in its filing, rather than a judicial finding.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the license language matters to businesses
An ALA is a contract governing rights to use Arm’s architecture. Whether an acquisition transfers a license, whether a license covers designs developed with acquired technology, and what termination requires depend on the wording and facts of the particular agreements. The first case therefore concerns contractual scope and termination consequences, not a general judicial determination of how all Arm licenses operate.
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Companies evaluating a similar transaction should distinguish at least four questions: which entity signed each agreement, whether assignment or change-of-control language applies, which technology was created under which license, and what remedies a termination clause permits. The Arm–Qualcomm record does not supply a universal answer for other licensees.
Business context: Qualcomm’s importance to Arm
Arm reported that Qualcomm accounted for 9% of Arm’s total revenue for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026. That is a disclosed revenue concentration figure, not a damages calculation or an estimate of the value of the disputed licenses. Neither the cited court opinion nor the company filings provide an independent published valuation of those licenses or a damages figure.
What readers should watch next
- The Third Circuit’s handling of Arm’s appeal from the original case.
- Whether Qualcomm’s October 5, 2026 trial begins as scheduled and which claims remain after motions and amendments.
- Any rulings clarifying the scope of the parties’ separate ALAs and the Technology License Agreement.
The Bottom Line
The original Arm case produced a district-court judgment favoring Nuvia after a mixed jury result and a ruling that Arm failed to prove harm; Arm’s appeal was pending in May 2026. Qualcomm’s separate suit is a different proceeding, with a trial scheduled for October 5, 2026, so the two cases should not be treated as one final verdict on Arm licensing.
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