Untitled case

This patent infringement litigation, United Services Automobile Association v. Regions Bank et al., case number 2:25-cv-00082, was filed on January 28, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division. The plaintiff, United Services Automobile Association (USAA), is a Texas-based reciprocal inter-insurance exchange that provides banking, insurance, and investing services primarily to military members and their families. The defendant, Regions Bank, is a financial institution. The case is currently before District Judge Rodney Gilstrap for claim construction, with Magistrate Judge Jeremy R. Gates also involved in the case management.

USAA alleges that Regions Bank's "Regions Mobile Deposit System" infringes on its patents related to mobile check deposit technologies. The patents asserted in the litigation include U.S. Patent No. 12211095 and U.S. Patent No. 12159310. U.S. Patent No. 12159310, titled "System and method for mobile check deposit enabling auto-capture functionality via video frame processing," generally describes a system where a mobile device camera monitors a check image and automatically captures it when it satisfies specific criteria, then sends it to a financial institution for deposit. A technical sketch for U.S. Patent No. 12211095 will be provided upon further detail becoming available.

The Eastern District of Texas is a well-known patent litigation hotspot, frequently ranking as the top district for patent filings due to its efficient "rocket docket" and a reputation for plaintiff-friendly rulings. This venue is notable not only for its high volume of patent cases but also for attracting disputes between operating companies, such as USAA and Regions Bank, despite its frequent use by Non-Practicing Entities (NPEs). The case is further complicated by parallel Inter Partes Review (IPR) proceedings at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), specifically IPR2025-01326 concerning U.S. Patent No. 12159310, where USAA has opposed institution based on Fintiv factors. This highlights the ongoing strategic interplay between district court litigation and PTAB challenges in significant patent disputes.

Key Legal Developments and Outcome in United Services Automobile Association v. Regions Bank

Case Caption: United Services Automobile Association v. Regions Bank
Case Number: 2:25-cv-00082
Court: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
Patents at Issue: U.S. Patent No. 12,211,095 (the "'095 Patent") and U.S. Patent No. 12,159,310 (the "'310 Patent")

This patent infringement litigation was filed by United Services Automobile Association (USAA) against Regions Bank in the Eastern District of Texas. The case is currently active, with a trial scheduled for late 2026.

Chronological Developments:

• 2025-01-28: Case Filed. United Services Automobile Association (USAA) initiated the lawsuit against Regions Bank (also referred to as Regions Financial Corporation et al.) in the Eastern District of Texas. The complaint asserted infringement of U.S. Patent No. 12,211,095 and U.S. Patent No. 12,159,310.

• 2025-05-30: Docket Control Order Issued. Judge Rodney Gilstrap issued a Docket Control Order setting key deadlines, including a jury selection date for October 5, 2026, and a pretrial conference for August 31, 2026. The order also noted that a claim construction (Markman) order was anticipated, after which parties would file a joint notice regarding mediation.

• 2025-06-23: Second Amended Complaint Filed. USAA filed its Second Amended Complaint in the district court action.

• 2025-08-05: IPR Petitions Filed for Patent 12,211,095. Regions Bank, as Petitioner, filed Inter Partes Review (IPR) petitions against USAA, the Patent Owner, challenging U.S. Patent No. 12,211,095. One such petition is IPR2025-01356.

• 2025-09-25: Stipulation in IPR2025-01326. In a separate IPR (IPR2025-01326) filed by Regions Bank challenging U.S. Patent No. 12,159,310, Regions Bank stipulated that if the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) instituted the IPR, it would not pursue in the district court action the specific grounds asserted in the IPR petition or any other ground that could reasonably have been raised in that IPR concerning the '310 patent. This indicates that institution of the IPR was pending.

• Pre-Trial Motions of Substance:

  • Regions Bank filed a motion to dismiss under Section 101, challenging the patent eligibility of the asserted patents. The parties completed a full round of briefing on this motion. The outcome of this motion is not yet publicly available.
  • The court's general practice is not to entertain motions to stay pending IPR institution.

• Discovery Milestones:

  • The Docket Control Order established key discovery-related deadlines. Seven days before jury selection (scheduled for October 5, 2026), the Defendant (Regions Bank) is due to disclose its final invalidity theories, prior art references/combinations, and equitable defenses.
  • Ten days before jury selection, the Plaintiff (USAA) is to disclose its final election of asserted claims.

• Claim Construction (Markman): As of mid-February 2026, the parties were expected to have exchanged proposed terms for Markman and submitted their joint claim construction statement. A formal Markman order has not yet been publicly issued.

• Parallel PTAB IPR Proceedings:

  • IPR2025-01356 (U.S. Patent No. 12,211,095): This IPR, filed by Regions Bank against USAA, was instituted by the PTAB on February 10, 2026. The proceeding was subsequently terminated by settlement on March 25, 2026. The settlement of this IPR suggests a resolution regarding the validity challenges to the '095 patent outside of the district court's full trial process.
  • IPR2025-01326 (U.S. Patent No. 12,159,310): The status of this IPR for the '310 patent beyond the pending institution decision (anticipated by mid-February 2026) and the September 25, 2025, stipulation is not yet publicly available.

• Current Posture: The case remains active in the Eastern District of Texas, with a jury selection scheduled for October 5, 2026. The settlement of IPR2025-01356 for the '095 patent is a significant development, but the overall litigation continues.

The counsel of record representing United Services Automobile Association (USAA), the plaintiff in case 2:25-cv-00082 in the Eastern District of Texas, are from Irell & Manella LLP and Gillam & Smith, LLP. This case involves patent 12211095.

Here are the identified attorneys:

Irell & Manella LLP (Lead Counsel)

• Jason G. Sheasby

  • Role: Partner, Lead Trial Lawyer.
  • Firm & Office: Irell & Manella LLP, Los Angeles, CA.
  • Experience: Nationally recognized trial lawyer in high-stakes intellectual property and complex commercial litigation, notably securing over $300 million for USAA in patent infringement trials against Wells Fargo involving mobile remote deposit technology.

• Lisa Sharrock Glasser

  • Role: Partner, Litigator, and Member of Irell's firmwide Management and Executive Committees.
  • Firm & Office: Irell & Manella LLP, Newport Beach, CA.
  • Experience: Co-lead counsel who has secured over $500 million in jury verdicts for USAA against Wells Fargo and PNC Bank in patent cases related to remote deposit technology.

• Rebecca L. Carson

  • Role: Partner.
  • Firm & Office: Irell & Manella LLP, Newport Beach, CA.
  • Experience: Specializes in patent infringement and technology litigation, contributing to significant verdicts for clients like Netlist and playing a pivotal role in securing hundreds of millions of dollars for USAA.

• Anthony Q. Rowles

  • Role: Member of the firm's Management Committee.
  • Firm & Office: Irell & Manella LLP, Newport Beach, CA (also listed in Los Angeles in some instances).
  • Experience: Focuses on high-tech patent litigation, including district court trials, Federal Circuit appeals, ITC investigations, and PTAB proceedings, notably securing over $300 million for USAA against Wells Fargo in mobile remote deposit technology cases.

• Joshua Grossman

  • Role: Associate.
  • Firm & Office: Irell & Manella LLP, Los Angeles, CA.
  • Experience: Practices in complex commercial litigation, with a focus on intellectual property litigation.

Gillam & Smith, LLP (Local Counsel)

• Melissa Richards Smith
  • Role: Partner, Local Counsel.
  • Firm & Office: Gillam & Smith, LLP, Marshall, TX.
  • Experience: Experienced trial lawyer in the Eastern District of Texas for both plaintiffs and defendants; has served as local counsel in over three thousand patent cases. Recognized as a Texas Superlawyer.

Based on recent web search results, the patent infringement litigation, United Services Automobile Association v. Regions Financial Corporation et al., Case No. 2:25-cv-00082, has been resolved via settlement. This updates the "Current Posture" from the previously generated sections, which stated the case was active as of May 29, 2026. The case was closed on March 20, 2026, following a settlement between the parties.

The following counsel of record represented the defendant, Regions Bank, in this patent infringement case:

Firm: Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP
Office Location: Boston, MA

Attorneys:

• David L. Cavanaugh - Counsel
  • Role: Appeared as counsel for Regions Bank in IPR proceedings related to the district court case.
• Gregory Lantier - Counsel
• Andrew Danford - Counsel
• Alexander J. Nemtzow - Counsel
• Amy L. Mahan - Counsel
• Chisom I. Nwakama - Counsel
  • Role: Certified the service of documents in IPR proceedings on behalf of Regions Bank.