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Federal Circuit Affirms Finding Of Personal Jurisdiction And Preliminary Injunction Against Biosimilar Applicants
02/11/2025
On January 29, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed the grant of a preliminary injunction by the Northern District of West Virginia in favor of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. against Samsung Bioepis Co., Ltd. (“SB”) and other biosimilar applicants. Regeneron had sued defendants for infringing its U.S. Patent No. 11,084,865, which covers formulations of aflibercept, a fusion protein that binds to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and is used to treat angiogenic eye diseases. Regeneron markets aflibercept under the brand name EYLEA®.
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Federal Circuit Vacates Order Transferring Case To District Where Foreign Defendants Had Consented To Personal Jurisdiction
02/03/2023
On January 9, 2023, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) granted writs of mandamus to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas in Nos. 2:21-cv-00045-JRG and 2:21-cv-00046-JRG, Chief Judge J. Rodney Gilstrap, vacated district court orders transferring two patent cases to the United States District Court for the Central District of California and instructing the court to recall the cases. In re Stingray IP Solutions, LLC, __F.3d _(Fed. Cir. January 9, 2023). In its order, the CAFC held that defendants could not avoid application of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4(k)(2) by merely consenting to jurisdiction in a district other than the one chosen by plaintiff.
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Federal Circuit Again Finds Communications Attempting To Resolve A Patent Dispute Can Be A Basis For Personal Jurisdiction In Declaratory Judgment Action
04/27/2022
On April 18, 2022, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) reversed the dismissal of a declaratory judgment action for lack of personal jurisdiction by the United States District Court for the Norther District of California (NDCA). Apple, Inc. v. Zipit Wireless, Inc., No. 2021-1760 (Fed. Cir. Apr. 18, 2022). The CAFC found that the NDCA erred in applying a bright-line rule that patent infringement notice letters can never form the basis for personal jurisdiction.
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Federal Circuit Denies Mandamus Request Seeking To Require Service Under Hague Convention
10/06/2021
On September 10, 2021, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) issued an order denying a petition for a writ of mandamus to the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, Nos. 6:20-cv-00952-ADA, 6:20-cv-00953-ADA, 6:20-cv-00956-ADA, 6:20-cv-00957-ADA, and 6:20-cv-00958-ADA, Judge Alan D. Albright, directing dismissal of five patent infringement actions for insufficient service of process and lack of personal jurisdiction. In re: ONEPLUS TECHNOLOGY (SHENZEN) CO., __ F.3d __ (Fed. Cir. Sept. 10, 2021). In its order, the CAFC let stand Judge Albrights’s decision finding that the mandamus petitioner’s right to service only under the Hague Convention is not clear and indisputable.
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Internet Sales To Forum Residents Processed By Forum-Based Payment Processing Service Not Enough To Establish Personal Jurisdiction Over Retailer
06/22/2021
On June 7, 2021, Judge Christina A. Snyder of the United States District Court for the Central District of California granted defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiff’s complaint for lack of personal jurisdiction. Trustee of the Summers Family Trust TA Neak Products Buff WA Pty, Ltd v. National Distribution Warehouse, Inc. d/b/a Teacher's Choice, case no. 2:20-cv-10741-CAS-Ex. Judge Snyder specifically found that plaintiff had not carried its burden to establish purposeful direction targeted at California or a nexus to a forum-related activity.
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Federal Circuit Reverses District Court’s Dismissal Of Declaratory Judgment Action For Lack Of Personal Jurisdiction
05/26/2021
On May 12, 2021, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) issued an opinion reversing the decision of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California dismissing, for lack of personal jurisdiction, a declaratory judgment noninfringement action. Trimble Inc. v. PerDiemCo LLC, __ F.3d __ (Fed. Cir. May 12, 2021).
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UK Defendant’s Interactive Website Insufficient To Establish Personal Jurisdiction In Texas
12/15/2020
On December 8, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas (EDTX) unsealed its November 30, 2020, order granting dismissal without prejudice for lack of personal jurisdiction. TriOptima AB v. Quantile Techs. Ltd., Case No. 2:19-cv-00390-JRG, Dkt. No. 154 (E.D. Tex. Dec. 8, 2020); TriOptima AB v. Quantile Techs. Ltd., Case No. 2:19-cv-00390-JRG, Dkt. No. 149 (E.D. Tex. Nov. 30, 2020). The EDTX found that the United Kingdom-based defendant was not subjected to specific personal jurisdiction in Texas by providing financial services that can affect Texas interests through a secure customer portal website.
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Federal Circuit Finds Patent Assertion Letters Sufficient For Personal Jurisdiction In Declaratory Judgment Action
12/18/2018
On Friday, December 7, 2018, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (“CAFC”) issued an opinion reversing and remanding a decision by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, in which the district court dismissed plaintiff’s declaratory judgment action against defendant for lack of personal jurisdiction. Jack Henry & Associates, Inc. v. Plano Encryption Technologies LLC, —F.3d— (Fed. Cir. Dec. 7, 2018). The CAFC ruled that defendant’s patent assertion campaign against multiple banks in the Northern District of Texas was sufficient to establish the minimum contacts necessary to subject PET to personal jurisdiction in that venue.
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You’ve Got To Know When To Fold’em: Federal Circuit Affirms Dismissal Of Folding Table Patent Case On Personal Jurisdiction Grounds
12/05/2018
On Thursday, November 29, 2018, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) issued an opinion affirming a decision by the District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee dismissing Maxchief Investments Limited’s (“Maxchief”) declaratory judgment action against Wok & Pan, Ind., Inc. (“Wok”) for lack of personal jurisdiction. Maxchief Investments Limited v. Wok & Pan, Ind., Inc., —F.3d— (Fed. Cir. Nov. 29, 2018). The CAFC ruled that Wok lacked sufficient contacts with the forum state of Tennessee to support a finding of specific personal jurisdiction.