The number of patent lawsuits filed in 2023 dropped to their lowest level in more than a decade. This significant decrease is credited to a new sense of caution emerging among litigants in the patent space. Driving this wariness are two major shifts in the patent litigation landscape: new funding disclosure rules in a major patent jurisdiction and alterations to the case assignment method in another.
These changes in the field are pushing patent litigants to be more judicious in pursuing litigation. The introduction of funding disclosure rules has resulted in caution among litigants who are reluctant to expose their resources. On the other hand, changes in how cases are allocated to judges have created an unpredictable environment that has further spurred litigants to reflect deeply before filing suits.
The declining trend in patent filings offers an interesting insight into the evolving legal landscape of intellectual property. With these shifts in rules and procedures, corporations, law firms, and individual litigants are re-evaluating their approach to patent disputes.
For more details, read the report on Law360.