United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas is the Federal district court with jurisdiction over the eastern part of Texas and is a part of the Fifth Circuit. The court's headquarters are in Tyler, Texas and has five subdivision offices. The district covers 43 counties in Texas. The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court.
Patent litigation
Most recently, the Eastern District of Texas has seen an increase in the number of cases filed relating to patent infringement. This District has experienced an increase in the number of patent cases filed and tried, notably in the courts of Judge T. John Ward in the Marshall Division and Judge Leonard Davis in the Marshall and Tyler Divisions. By providing a set of local rules for patent cases and relatively fast trial settings, patent plaintiffs have flocked to this small venue. In 2003, there were 14 Patent Cases filed. In 2004, this number more than quadrupled to 59 Patent Cases filed.
By providing open discovery with firm deadlines along with local rules designed to fast-track patent cases, the Eastern District of Texas has taken a sizeable chunk of the patent litigation from other venues such as the Eastern District of Virginia.
In addition, due to the proximity to larger cities (such as Dallas and Houston) along with an aging jury pool interested in protecting property rights, Marshall, Tyler, and Texarkana, Texas have proven themselves as sufficient venues for present and future patent litigation.
The district has been criticized for a perceived bias towards plaintiffs in patent infringement lawsuits, including patent trolls and other holders of dubious patents (see TechnologyReview.com).
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| Territorial courts | Guam • Northern Mariana Islands • Virgin Islands |
Further reading
- "So Small a Town, So Many Patent Suits", New York Times Magazine, September 24, 2006 (online abstract)
External links
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