Avant Ordered to Pay $182-Million Fine

A California judge ordered Avant Corp. to pay $182 million plus interest to Cadence Systems Inc. for taking its rival’s computer code nearly a decade ago.

Cadence, the No. 1 maker of software for the semiconductor industry, had asked Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Conrad Rushing to award $700 million.

Avant on May 22 pleaded no contest to four felony counts of stealing trade secrets and agreed to pay $27 million in fines. Prosecutors had asked for at least a $200-million restitution award from the software company as a deterrent to future crimes.