The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday narrowed the locations where patent infringement suits can be filed in a unanimous decision interpreting conflicting statutes on venue.
The court ruled (PDF) that a law authorizing patent suits to be filed in the judicial district where the defendant “resides” was not supplanted by amendments to a general federal law on venue. The more lenient general law gives “resides” a broad meaning, allowing federal suits to be filed wherever a corporation is subject to personal jurisdiction.
The narrow definition of “resides” requires patent suits filed under that prong of the venue statute to be filed in the state where the company is incorporated, according to the opinion by Justice Clarence Thomas.
The decision will make it more difficult to file infringement suits in friendly jurisdictions.
SCOTUS limits venue in patent suits, making it more difficult to file in friendly jurisdictions