Untitled case

The case 1:24-cv-00076, filed in the Tennessee Middle District Court, is a patent infringement lawsuit between Tethrd, LLC as the plaintiff and CRUZR Saddles LLC as the defendant. Both parties are competitors in the saddle-hunting equipment market. The primary patent at issue is US Patent 11,964,175, titled "Bridge rope assembly." This patent describes a bridge rope assembly for hunting harnesses, featuring a main body rope with a splice forming an eye loop, configured to engage a harness. It includes a first portion extending through a second portion, where the first and second ends are positioned adjacent to each other with a specified distance, and can also include a friction hitch and a stop knot. The accused products are related to CRUZR Saddles LLC's saddle-hunting equipment, specifically those allegedly infringing upon the "Bridge rope assembly" patent.

The case is currently before Chief Judge William L. Campbell, Jr., and Magistrate Judge Holmes in the Columbia Division of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. The procedural posture indicates that a motion to dismiss filed by the defendant for failure to state a claim was denied by Chief Judge Campbell on May 13, 2025. A jury trial has been set for December 8, 2026. While the Middle District of Tennessee is not a typical patent litigation hotspot like the Eastern District of Texas, patent venue rules stipulate that a case can be brought where the defendant resides or has committed acts of infringement and has a regular and established place of business. The specific details as to why this venue was chosen over others are not explicitly stated, but generally, plaintiffs may engage in some forum shopping, and defendants can seek transfers based on convenience.

The notability of this case stems from its focus on the specialized saddle-hunting equipment market, highlighting intellectual property disputes within niche outdoor recreation industries. While not a high-profile case involving tech giants or large NPEs, it represents how patent protection is sought and enforced among direct competitors in a specific product category. There is no publicly available information at this time to suggest IPR linkage, broader industry impact beyond saddle-hunting equipment, or unique NPE assertion patterns related to Unrivaled Technologies Inc. for this specific case. However, patent cases involving direct competitors can often be keenly watched within their respective industries due to potential market implications.The patent infringement litigation, case number 1:24-cv-00076, is currently ongoing in the Tennessee Middle District Court. The plaintiff is Tethrd, LLC, and the defendant is CRUZR Saddles LLC. Both companies operate as direct competitors within the specialized market of saddle-hunting equipment. The core of the dispute revolves around U.S. Patent 11,964,175, titled "Bridge rope assembly." This patent describes a rope assembly designed for hunting harnesses, which includes a main body rope with an eye loop formed by a splice, configured to connect to a harness. It also details a specific arrangement where one portion of the rope extends through another, keeping the ends adjacent, and may incorporate a friction hitch and a stop knot. The specific accused products are items within CRUZR Saddles LLC's range of saddle-hunting equipment that Tethrd, LLC alleges infringe upon its patented bridge rope assembly.

The case is assigned to Chief Judge William L. Campbell, Jr., and Magistrate Judge Holmes in the Columbia Division of the Middle District of Tennessee. The procedural posture indicates that the court has already denied a motion to dismiss filed by the defendant for failure to state a claim on May 13, 2025, allowing the case to proceed. A jury trial is scheduled for December 8, 2026. While the Middle District of Tennessee is not traditionally a prominent venue for patent litigation compared to certain other districts, patent venue rules permit cases to be filed where the defendant resides or has committed acts of infringement and maintains a regular and established place of business.

The notability of this case primarily lies within the niche outdoor recreation sector, specifically the saddle-hunting equipment market, as it involves a direct intellectual property conflict between two industry competitors. This highlights the importance of patent protection for specialized features even in smaller markets. No information currently suggests broader industry impact, involvement of a Non-Practicing Entity (NPE), or any linkage to inter partes reviews (IPRs) at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) for patent 11,964,175.

Key Legal Developments and Outcome for Tethrd, LLC v. CRUZR Saddles LLC

This patent infringement litigation, Tethrd, LLC v. CRUZR Saddles LLC, Case No. 1:24-cv-00076, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Columbia Division. The case involves U.S. Patent 11,964,175, which pertains to a "Bridge rope assembly" used in saddle-hunting equipment.

Filing & Initial Pleadings

• Complaint Filed: Tethrd, LLC filed its complaint against CRUZR Saddles LLC on August 12, 2024, initiating the patent infringement lawsuit.
• First Amended and Supplemental Complaint: The defendant, CRUZR Saddles LLC, later filed a motion to dismiss the First Amended and Supplemental Complaint.

Pre-trial Motions of Substance

• Motion to Dismiss: Defendant CRUZR Saddles LLC filed a motion (Doc. No. 38) seeking dismissal of the First Amended and Supplemental Complaint under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim. This motion was denied by Chief Judge William L. Campbell, Jr. on May 13, 2025.

Claim Construction (Markman)

• The case has reached the claim construction stage, with documents indicating that parties have identified "Claim Construction Issues."

Discovery Milestones with Strategic Significance

• No specific discovery milestones with strategic significance are publicly available in the provided search results beyond the general progression of the case.

Trial Events, Verdict, and Post-Trial Motions

• As of the current date (May 24, 2026), there is no indication from the provided search results that the case has proceeded to trial, a verdict has been rendered, or post-trial motions have been filed. The case appears to be active and in the pre-trial phase.

Settlement, Dismissal, Judgment, or Appeal

• The case remains active in the Middle District of Tennessee. The denial of the motion to dismiss on May 13, 2025, indicates the case is proceeding towards further pre-trial stages. There is no information about a final judgment, settlement, or appeal in the provided sources.

Parallel PTAB IPR/PGR Proceedings

• A search for parallel PTAB IPR/PGR proceedings for U.S. Patent 11,964,175 did not yield any active or completed IPR or PGR petitions. While general information about the PTAB and its processes was found, no specific filings related to patent 11,964,175 were identified. Therefore, there is no apparent effect of PTAB proceedings on this litigation at this time.

Counsel of Record for Plaintiff Tethrd, LLC

The plaintiff, Tethrd, LLC, in the patent infringement case 1:24-cv-00076 in the Tennessee Middle District Court, is represented by attorneys from Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP and Rockridge Venture Law.

Here is the identified counsel:

• Daniel L. Huynh

  • Role: Lead Counsel
  • Firm: Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP
  • Office Location: Atlanta, GA
  • Experience Note: Daniel Huynh is a partner who focuses on intellectual property and commercial matters, including patent, trademark, and other IP disputes. He has experience representing companies in various technology sectors and has served as lead counsel in multiple patent infringement cases, including for Tethrd LLC in the Middle District of Tennessee. He is recognized as a rising leader in the IP legal industry.

• Andre J. Bahou

  • Role: Counsel (likely co-counsel or local counsel)
  • Firm: Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP
  • Office Location: Nashville, TN
  • Experience Note: A.J. Bahou is an intellectual property attorney with 20 years of patent litigation experience, handling a full spectrum of IP litigation, patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets. He is also Bradley's Artificial Intelligence (AI) practice leader.

• Joshua Douglas Kleppin

  • Role: Counsel (likely co-counsel or local counsel)
  • Firm: Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP
  • Office Location: Nashville, TN
  • Experience Note: Joshua Kleppin is an associate in the Litigation Practice Group. He graduated summa cum laude from Belmont University College of Law and has experience in appellate advocacy.

• Kevin Christopher

  • Role: Counsel (likely local counsel)
  • Firm: Rockridge Venture Law®
  • Office Location: Chattanooga, TN (also operates from Nashville)
  • Experience Note: Kevin Christopher is the founder and principal of Rockridge Venture Law, a B Corp law firm. He is a registered patent attorney whose practice areas include patent and trademark prosecution, licensing, and litigation. He is recognized for his work with startups and high-growth emergent companies.

Based on available docket information and attorney profiles, the counsel of record representing the defendant(s) in Tethrd, LLC v. CRUZR Saddles LLC, case number 1:24-cv-00076, in the Tennessee Middle District Court are from Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP.

The identified attorneys for the defendant, CRUZR Saddles LLC, are:

• Andre J. Bahou

  • Role: Lead Counsel (inferred based on extensive experience)
  • Firm: Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP, Nashville, TN office.
  • Experience: Mr. Bahou is the Artificial Intelligence (AI) practice leader at Bradley Arant Boult Cummings and has over 20 years of patent litigation experience, handling intellectual property litigation from pre-complaint investigation through trial and appeal, including matters involving electrical and computer engineering technologies.

• Joshua Douglas Kleppin

  • Role: Associate Counsel (inferred based on typical associate roles in litigation)
  • Firm: Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP, Nashville, TN office.
  • Experience: Mr. Kleppin is an associate in the Litigation Practice Group with a strong background in appellate advocacy and general litigation, although specific patent litigation experience is not detailed in his public profiles.

Regarding Daniel L. Huynh and Eliza del Carmen, while initially appearing in some broad docket searches as potentially related to the defendant's representation via Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP, further detailed attorney profiles indicate that Daniel L. Huynh is associated with Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP and has represented the plaintiff, Tethrd LLC, in patent infringement matters in this very district court (MDTN). There is no clear, definitive information available in the public search results linking Eliza del Carmen to the defendant, CRUZR Saddles LLC, in this specific patent infringement case. If filings are sealed or other counsel have appeared subsequent to the last available public update, that information is not currently accessible through the conducted web search.