HTC America, But Not Foreign Parent, Wins Patent Venue Move Bid

Delaware isn’t the proper venue for a patent infringement lawsuit against HTC America Inc., but it’s OK to sue the company’s Taiwanese parent there because of the looser venue rules for foreign entities, the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware said Dec. 18.

Judge Leonard P. Stark’s order suggests that fights over venue in patent infringement cases will continue, especially when the defendant is a large foreign company. In May, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in TC Heartland LLC v. Kraft Foods Grp Brands LLC that patent defendants only reside where they are headquartered or incorporated, limiting the ...