U.S. District Court for the Eastern, Southern, Northern, and Western Districts of Texas

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern, Southern, Northern, and Western Districts of Texas encompasses four distinct federal judicial districts. While the prompt broadly refers to all four, patent litigation activity has historically been concentrated in the Eastern District of Texas (EDTX) and, more recently, the Western District of Texas (WDTX). The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has appellate jurisdiction over all Texas federal districts.

The Eastern District of Texas (EDTX), with major divisions including Marshall, Tyler, and Texarkana, has long been known as a prominent venue for patent litigation and earned a reputation as a "rocket docket" due to its fast time-to-trial and plaintiff-friendly environment. Historically, EDTX saw a significant volume of patent cases, and while there was a period where the Western District of Texas surpassed it in filings, the EDTX has re-emerged as a national volume leader with credible trial timelines. Its median time-to-trial for jury cases has been around 29 months, with a notable number of trials held annually. The court maintains specific local patent rules designed to manage the complexities of patent cases, including procedures for early disclosures of infringement and invalidity contentions and detailed claim construction schedules.

The Western District of Texas (WDTX) experienced a dramatic surge in patent filings, particularly in its Waco Division under Judge Alan D. Albright, who actively sought to attract patent cases after his appointment in 2018. This led to WDTX becoming the nation's busiest patent court, known for aggressive scheduling, a reluctance to grant motions to stay pending PTAB proceedings, and denials of early dispositive motions and transfer motions. However, in July 2022, a significant change occurred when Chief Judge Orlando Garcia issued an order mandating random assignment of patent cases filed in the Waco Division to any of the district's twelve judges, thereby curtailing the ability of plaintiffs to guarantee assignment to Judge Albright. This random assignment has led to a realignment of patent litigation dynamics in Texas, with the EDTX solidifying its position as a leading venue once more. Judge Albright recently retired, with Judge Christopher Wolfe appointed to transition the Waco patent docket. The Western District of Texas has adopted "Standing Orders Governing Proceedings – Patent Cases" (OGP), which detail specific timelines for case management, discovery, and Markman hearings.

The tracked case, Authentixx LLC v. 121 Media, LLC et al. (Case No. 2:25-cv-00647), was filed in the Eastern District of Texas on June 19, 2025. This infringement action, asserting a patent related to systems and methods for authenticating electronic content, was voluntarily dismissed without prejudice by Authentixx LLC on August 4, 2025, just 46 days after filing and before the defendant had answered. This swift resolution, a voluntary dismissal, is quicker than the EDTX median time to trial and left open the possibility of future re-filing. Authentixx LLC is a frequent patent filer, with other related cases also seen in the Western District of Texas.

Prominent judges in patent litigation across these districts include Chief Judge Rodney Gilstrap in the Eastern District of Texas, known for his active patent docket and trial management. In the Western District of Texas, Judge Alan Albright significantly shaped patent practice prior to his retirement, and his standing orders, particularly in the Waco Division, guided many patent cases. Following the random assignment order, patent cases are now assigned to a wider array of judges across the Western District, including those in Austin, El Paso, and San Antonio. While the Southern and Northern Districts of Texas also handle intellectual property disputes, they do not hold the same prominence in patent litigation volume as the Eastern and Western Districts.