Like a modern day Alamo, the people of the Republic of Texas in Marshall need to board up the windows and doors and get ready for the fight of their life. Except it’s not the Mexican Army that’s coming, it’s the Coalition for Patent Fairness. And let me tell you, they have some heavy hitters. In response to heavy hits that they have been taking, some large businesses have formed or joined this coalition in order to bring reform to how patents and patent litigation is done.
The list includes popular companies like Apple, Cisco, Dell, Google, Intel, Microsoft, and Palm. We could confidently say that it’s not so much what is taking place in the courts of East Texas with their high rate of rewarded patent infringement lawsuits that has become the enemy of these companies than the whole system of patent litigation itself. The groups formed in this coalition have clearly stated on their website the ammunition they plan on using for the fight, this includes no more forums shopping, putting a cap on damages, and the standard of whether or not infringement has taken place.
These weapons of choice will make a big impact in infringement cases and thus, a direct attack against the gold mine that has come to East Texas. Although there is not a lot being said in the media, this coalition is quietly gathering an powerful army that includes the likes of the institutions of Federal Trade Commission and National Academy of Sciences, media giants like New York Times and Los Angeles Times, as well as President Barak Obama stating that it is part of his economy stimulus agenda.
There is no denying that patent infringement litigation has become a great benefit to the small town of Marshall, but with the pieces that seem to be coming together, it looks like they are in store for the fight of their lives.