Why is Apple in the Hot Seat Again?

Another day, another lawsuit against Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) over alleged patent infringement.

A Colorado man is suing the company saying for copyright infringement, saying the iPad Smart Cover for the new iPad and iPad 2 violates his 2005 “Portable Computer Case” patent.

Jerald Bovino is seeking royalties from both Apple and Target Corp. (NYSE:TGT) from sales of the case, which retails for $39.95 and attaches to the iPad screen via magnets.

Bovino’s suit refers to the ribbed design of the cover in U.S. patent 6,977,809.