Mattel Penalty Increased: A federal judge in...

Mattel Penalty Increased: A federal judge in Chicago upheld a jury decision in November ordering Mattel Inc. to pay $24.8 million to an inventor who claimed that the Hawthorne-based toy company infringed on his patent with its Hot Wheels race track. The judge also awarded the inventor, Jerome H. Lemelson of Princeton, N.J., interest payments that could amount to an additional $45 million. A Mattel spokesman said the company “intends to appeal, and we’re certain we’ll prevail.”