“ The rules say little about the scope of investigation but instead focus their efforts on defining ‘improper contact’—creating a system where anything goes so long as jurors never find out. ”   I. Introduction   In the high-stakes world of courtroom battles, where every detail can tip the scales, a seemingly routine step in trial preparation recently backfired spectacularly. On October 28, 2025, U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick sanctioned a prestigious law firm $10,000

How a routine IPR institution turned into a procedural precedent for claim construction consistency   In the high-stakes world of patent litigation, accused infringers often pursue parallel strategies in district court and at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“PTAB”). But what happens when those strategies directly contradict each other? Revvo Technologies just found out the hard way.   On November 3, 2025, the USPTO Director took the extraordinary step of sua sponte (meani

“ In patent litigation, what you allege can and will be used against you. . . .”   I. INTRODUCTION   In patent litigation, the line between sufficient pleading and pleading yourself out of court can be razor thin. David’s Dozer V-Loc System Inc. and inventor David Armas (collectively, “plaintiffs”) learned this lesson the hard way when their detailed allegations—accepted as true—demonstrated that John Deere’s (“Deere”) products could not infringe their patent. On October 9,