An extraordinary case where two men who claim PepsiCo stole their idea to sell bottled water and sued the snack and drink maker and won a $1.26 billion judgment last month after the company didn't respond. As the National Law Journal reports, PepsiCo says it was not notified about the case until it was too late.

The unanswered question is why the plaintiffs waited nearly 20 year before bringing the lawsuit. Nobody seems to have answered that, although as the journal reports, the company is now using that to overturn the case. "In seeking to dismiss the case, PepsiCo argues that the statute of limitations should preclude the lawsuit, brought 15 years after the company started selling Aquafina and more than two decades after the alleged confidential talks. Moreover, 'the $1.26 billion judgment that has been entered is unprecedented in size and justice requires that PepsiCo have a chance to defend itself,' the company said."

The fact that PepsiCo for whatever reason didn't turn up, and got a finding against it, really raises questions about the court. As does any case where plaintiffs wait nearly two decades before launching a case to squeeze money out of a corporation.