U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee

Western District of Tennessee Patent Litigation Profile

Court Overview
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, a federal court within the Sixth Circuit, operates from its primary courthouse in Memphis, with an additional courthouse in Jackson. Its patent docket is modest compared to major patent venues like the Western District of Texas or the District of Delaware. While precise annual filing statistics are not readily available in public reports, case listings suggest a smaller, but consistent, flow of patent infringement suits. Appeals from this court are directed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. The court was previously selected to participate in the Patent Pilot Program, a program designed to enhance expertise in patent litigation among a select group of district courts.

Patent Docket Reputation
The Western District of Tennessee is not known as a high-speed "rocket docket," but public records indicate it has a structured approach to patent matters. The court has its own set of Local Patent Rules, suggesting a familiarity with and a procedural framework for handling complex patent cases. There is no significant body of public analysis from sources like Lex Machina or Reuters to definitively characterize the district as plaintiff- or defendant-friendly. However, the Federal Circuit has shown its willingness to transfer significant patent cases to the district. In one notable instance, the appellate court ordered the Eastern District of Texas to reconsider a denial of a motion to transfer a case against FedEx, emphasizing that the Western District of Tennessee has a "significant local interest" in resolving disputes involving companies headquartered there, where the accused products were researched and developed.

Local Rules and Procedures
The court has adopted a comprehensive set of Local Patent Rules (LPRs) that govern the progression of patent cases. These rules mandate early disclosure of infringement and invalidity contentions, and set a structured schedule for claim construction proceedings, including the exchange of proposed terms and claim construction briefs. The rules also provide a default schedule, aiming for a trial to be conducted within 120 days after the deadline for filing dispositive motions, though this can be modified by the presiding judge. Senior Judge Jon P. McCalla has been noted for applying the Western District of Tennessee's patent rules, or those of the Northern District of California, even when sitting by designation in other districts like Delaware, indicating a preference for these structured procedural frameworks.

Notable Cases and Rulings
The court handles patent infringement litigation involving major local corporations. A tracked case, Chemtron Research LLC v. FedEx Corporate Services, Inc., filed in late 2025, is an example of the corporate patent disputes before the court. A significant procedural development related to the court was the Federal Circuit's 2022 mandamus order in In re FedEx Corp. While the initial case was filed in Texas, the Federal Circuit's strong suggestion that the Western District of Tennessee was a more appropriate venue underscores the court's role as a proper forum for patent disputes with a strong connection to the district. The court has also presided over other high-stakes litigation involving FedEx, including a major tax refund case where the company was awarded an $89 million refund in a summary judgment ruling.

Judges
The court has designated judges with experience in handling patent cases, a practice stemming from its participation in the Patent Pilot Program.

• Chief Judge Sheryl H. Lipman has been a designated patent judge for the district.
• Senior Judge Jon P. McCalla is another designated patent judge with considerable experience. His work as chief judge was credited with making the district one of the more efficient federal courts in the country based on metrics including time-to-trial. He continues to handle patent cases in the district and has also presided over them as a visiting judge in other busy patent venues.