Untitled case

This patent infringement litigation, Shenzhen Huajing International Trade Co., LTD. v. The Grease Box LLC, case number 2:25-cv-01300, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. The plaintiff, Shenzhen Huajing International Trade Co., LTD., is a Chinese operating company that sells "grease buckets for use with outdoor cooking devices" through its Amazon storefront under the "VattaFrast" brand. The defendant, The Grease Box LLC, is an Arizona-based operating company that designs, produces, and sells grease receptacles, primarily for grills and smokers.

The dispute centers on allegations that Shenzhen Huajing's Amazon-listed grease bucket products are "copycat" versions of The Grease Box LLC's GX-1 Side Mount product. The single patent asserted in this case is U.S. Patent No. 11,812,895, which covers a grease containment product. While specific details of the patent's claims were not adjudicated, the patent generally relates to innovations in grease receptacles designed for outdoor cooking devices.

The procedural posture of this case is notable because it was ultimately dismissed due to improper venue. Chief Judge Jamal N. Whitehead granted the defendant's motion to dismiss, ruling that the plaintiff failed to establish that a substantial part of the events giving rise to the claim occurred in Washington. The Grease Box LLC's operations, including its inventors and assignee, are primarily based in Arizona, and its members and employees reside outside of Washington. The court declined to transfer the case and instead dismissed the complaint outright. This venue challenge highlights the complexities of establishing jurisdiction in patent disputes involving e-commerce sales and international parties, particularly in light of Amazon's Patent Evaluation Express (APEX) program, which initially brought the parties into conflict over the '895 patent. The case was flagged as 'Critical' and "First worldwide family litigation filed," likely reflecting the initial assertion of the patent through the Amazon APEX program and its potential broader market implications for grease containment products sold online. There are no readily available records of any Inter Partes Review (IPR) proceedings filed against U.S. Patent No. 11,812,895.

The patent infringement litigation Shenzhen Huajing International Trade Co., LTD. v. The Grease Box LLC, Case No. 2:25-cv-01300, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, saw an early resolution based on a challenge to venue.

Key Legal Developments and Outcome:

• Filing & Initial Pleadings:

  • 2025-07-10: Shenzhen Huajing International Trade Co., LTD. filed its declaratory judgment complaint in the Western District of Washington. The complaint sought to clear the plaintiff of infringement allegations made by The Grease Box LLC through Amazon's Patent Evaluation Express (APEX) program concerning U.S. Patent No. 11,812,895.
  • No docket entries for a formal "Answer" or counterclaims were reached, as the case was dismissed on a pre-answer motion.

• Pre-trial Motions of Substance:

  • Before 2025-10-06: Defendant The Grease Box LLC filed a motion to dismiss the complaint, arguing that the Western District of Washington was an improper venue.
  • 2025-10-06: Plaintiff Shenzhen Huajing International Trade Co., LTD. filed its response in opposition to the motion to dismiss.
  • 2025-10-13: Defendant The Grease Box LLC filed a reply in support of its motion to dismiss.
  • 2025-09-18: A Joint Status Report was filed by the parties, indicating an estimated trial duration of 5 days, though this would not come to pass.

• Claim Construction (Markman) Outcomes:

  • The case did not reach the claim construction stage due to its early dismissal on venue grounds.

• Discovery Milestones:

  • Beyond initial case management and the Joint Status Report, no significant discovery milestones were reached or documented prior to dismissal.

• Trial Events, Verdict, and Post-Trial Motions:

  • No trial or related post-trial motions occurred.

• Final Disposition:

  • 2026-02-23: Judge Jamal N. Whitehead granted the defendant's motion to dismiss. The court ruled that Shenzhen Huajing failed to establish that a substantial part of the events giving rise to the claim occurred in the Western District of Washington, thereby deeming it an inappropriate venue. The complaint was dismissed "without prejudice," allowing the plaintiff to refile in a proper venue. The court declined to transfer the case.
  • 2026-04-19: Following the dismissal, Shenzhen Huajing International Trade Company Limited refiled a new patent infringement action against The Grease Box LLC in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, Case No. 2:26-cv-02717, which is considered an "appropriate venue" as per the prior ruling.

• Parallel PTAB IPR/PGR Proceedings:

  • There is no publicly available information indicating any parallel Inter Partes Review (IPR) or Post-Grant Review (PGR) proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) related to U.S. Patent No. 11,812,895. Searches of the USPTO's Patent Trial and Appeal Case Tracking System (P-TACTS) reveal no such proceedings.

Counsel Identified for Plaintiff Shenzhen Huajing International Trade Co., LTD. in Patent Infringement Case

In the patent infringement case Shenzhen Huajing International Trade Co., LTD. v. The Grease Box LLC, filed in the Washington Western District Court (Case No. 2:25-cv-01300), the plaintiff was represented by attorneys Hongchang Deng and Jianwei Wang.

Here is the breakdown of the plaintiff's counsel:

Hongchang Deng

• Role: Counsel
• Firm: Alight Law P.C. and LawMay PC
• Office Location: While specific office locations for Alight Law P.C. and LawMay PC for these attorneys were not immediately found in the provided search snippets, patent litigation firms often operate with a national or international reach.
• Relevant Patent Litigation Experience: Hongchang Deng is noted as representing the plaintiff in this patent infringement action concerning US Patent No. 11,812,895.

Jianwei Wang

• Role: Counsel
• Firm: Alight Law P.C. and LawMay PC
• Office Location: Specific office locations for Alight Law P.C. and LawMay PC for these attorneys were not immediately found in the provided search snippets.
• Relevant Patent Litigation Experience: Jianwei Wang represented Shenzhen Huajing International Trade Co., LTD. in this patent infringement case regarding US Patent No. 11,812,895. Wang was specifically listed as the attorney for Plaintiff Shenzhen Huajing International Trade Co Ltd in a response to a motion to dismiss.

It is worth noting that the case was dismissed without prejudice to refile in an appropriate venue by Judge Jamal N. Whitehead on February 23, 2026.

The defendant, The Grease Box LLC, was represented by attorneys from Pierson Ferdinand.

Here is the counsel of record for The Grease Box LLC:

• Frank Stuart Harrison

  • Role: Local Counsel
  • Firm: Pierson Ferdinand (Seattle office)
  • Note: Frank S. Harrison filed a notice of appearance on behalf of The Grease Box LLC. Local counsel typically agrees to sign all filings and be prepared to handle the matter, including trial, if the applicant is unable to be present.

• Christopher R. Kinkade

  • Role: Of Counsel (admitted pro hac vice)
  • Firm: Pierson Ferdinand LLP (New Jersey office)
  • Note: Christopher R. Kinkade applied for and was admitted pro hac vice to represent The Grease Box LLC. He also signed the Joint Status Report.

• Armon Shahdadi

  • Role: Of Counsel (admitted pro hac vice)
  • Firm: Pierson Ferdinand LLP (Georgia office)
  • Note: Armon Shahdadi applied for and was admitted pro hac vice to represent The Grease Box LLC.