Tom Melsheimer Comments on Waco Becoming a Leading Jurisdiction for Patent Litigation in Texas

The Texas Lawbook recently reported that Waco, part of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, has become the leading jurisdiction for litigating high-stakes patent cases in Texas. In doing so, Waco surpasses Marshall, in the Eastern District of Texas, which has held that title in the state for more than a decade. 

Winston & Strawn Dallas Office Managing Partner Tom Melsheimer gave some perspective on why Waco has become so popular for these kinds of lawsuits. He believes it is due to the arrival in the Western District U.S. District Court Judge Alan Albright, a former intellectual property attorney, who joined the court more than a year ago. 

“Judge Albright is out of central casting for the type of patent judge everyone wants,” said Tom. “Lawyers enjoy being in his court because he has a cheerful demeanor on the bench at all times.” 

As Judge Albright’s first patent cases start this spring, Tom sees a learning curve ahead for legal teams in understanding the jury pool in the Waco Division. 

“The No. 1 question mark for Waco is, ‘What is the jury pool like?’” said Tom. “The demographics are similar to the Marshall Division, but we just don’t know because so few big civil cases have been tried there.” 

Read the full Texas Lawbook article here. (subscription required)