Free Speech, Due Process and Trial by Jury
Covid-19 be damned, Texas is the place to legally protect your intellectual property. Waco, the birthplace of Dr Pepper, the death place of two-dozen ancient Mammuthuss, the scene of the Branch Davidian and Twin Peaks biker gang tragedies is now the undisputed patent litigation capital of the world. Some Dallas law firms expect to open branch offices in Waco in 2021. Plus, Judge Alan Albright discusses the Waco jury pool and Zoom trials.
A Fort Worth federal judge denied an unopposed motion to continue an in-person jury trial that involves lots of out-of-state travel and one of the lawyers currently testing positive for COVID-19. The Lawbook has the details.
In the two years since Judge Alan Albright took the bench, the Western District of Texas has risen to one of the busiest courts in the country for patent litigation. With approximately 20% of all new patent cases now being filed in Waco, it is important to understand key procedures and trends that will impact your case in this latest patent litigation hot bed, whether as a plaintiff or a defendant.
The Texas Lawbook recently visited with Norton Rose Fulbright partner Rodney Acker, the American College of Trial Lawyers’ newest president. Acker follows a legacy of Fulbright lawyers who have led the prestigious organization during an unprecedented year for the College.
Two competitors in software programming have almost tied up a complex copyright infringement lawsuit in East Texas. For the prevailing side, World Programming Limited, hopes the development is the final destination of what’s involved multiple layovers of legal disputes elsewhere in the U.S. and across the pond.
A federal court in Waco on Friday dismissed Lewis Hamilton and Charles LeClerc from a patent infringement suit brought against the Formula One drivers and several other major players in the world of professional racing. Some may hail from Monaco, but that hasn't stopped a legal who's who of Texas lawyers from already appearing in the litigation.
The nine-figure judgment is a bittersweet win for a team of Porter Hedges lawyers, whose client did not live to see the result. But opposing counsel at three Houston firms assured an appeal is coming — one that is sure to catch the attention of Texas employers and boards alike as important issues surrounding for cause termination play out.
The Marshall Division of the EDTX is the latest federal court to shut down jury trials due to the coronavirus. Federal courthouses in Texarkana and Sherman have been closed through Dec. 4. Judges in the Northern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas have postponed most or even all in-person jury trials for the remainder of 2020. The Texas Lawbook has the details.
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