Untitled case

This patent infringement litigation, K. Mizra LLC v. Nokia Corporation et al., was filed in the Eastern District of Texas, under case number 2:24-cv-00974, and is currently presided over by Judge Rodney Gilstrap.

The plaintiff, K. Mizra LLC, appears to be a Patent Assertion Entity (PAE) or Non-Practicing Entity (NPE), given its common assertion pattern against established technology companies. The initial defendants included Nokia Corporation, Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy, and Nokia of America Corporation, all of which are operating companies in the telecommunications industry. However, Nokia Corporation and Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy were dismissed from the case without prejudice in August 2025, leaving Nokia of America Corporation as the sole remaining defendant. While the specific accused products are not publicly detailed in the available search results, they are Nokia's telecommunications products and/or services, as outlined in the plaintiff's infringement contentions. Nokia of America Corporation maintains offices in Lewisville, Texas, where it sells and markets its products.

The asserted patents in this case are U.S. Patent No. 8,018,880 and U.S. Patent No. 10,735,320. Both patents generally relate to methods and systems for managing data stores within a database. The case has advanced to a significant procedural stage, with a claim construction (Markman) opinion and order issued on April 14, 2026. The Eastern District of Texas remains a notable venue for patent litigation, often favored by plaintiffs for its specialized patent rules, experienced judiciary, and historically faster time to trial, despite changes in filing trends following the TC Heartland Supreme Court decision. The ongoing nature of this case, particularly with the completion of claim construction, highlights its progression through key litigation milestones in this influential patent venue.

Key Legal Developments and Outcome

The patent infringement litigation, K.Mizra LLC v. Nokia Corporation et al. (2:24-cv-00974) in the Eastern District of Texas, primarily concerned U.S. Patent 8,018,880. The case has seen several key developments, culminating in a dismissal for some defendants.

Filing & Initial Pleadings

• Complaint Filed (2024-11-25): K.Mizra LLC initiated the lawsuit against Nokia Corporation, Nokia Solutions and Networks OY, and Nokia of America Corporation, alleging patent infringement of US Patent 8,018,880.

Pre-trial Motions of Substance

• Protective Order (2025-04-23): District Judge Rodney Gilstrap signed a protective order in the case.
• Motion for Extension of Time (2025-04-20): A motion for an extension of time to file was granted by District Judge Rodney Gilstrap.
• Motion to Supplement Invalidity Contentions (Undated, prior to 2025-08-12): Nokia Corporation, Nokia Solutions and Networks OY, and Nokia of America Corporation filed an unopposed sealed motion for leave to supplement invalidity contentions. These contentions referenced prior art, including U.S. Patent No. 7,477,657 ("Murphy"), and indicated that depositions had not yet been taken.
• Order Focusing Patent Claims and Prior Art (2025-08-08): District Judge Rodney Gilstrap signed an order focusing patent claims and prior art.

Claim Construction (Markman) Outcomes

• Claim Construction Memorandum (2026-04-15): A "MEMORANDUM CLAIM CONSTRUCTION" document was issued in the case on April 15, 2026. This indicates that the case reached the claim construction stage, a critical phase in patent litigation where the court interprets the scope and meaning of the patent claims. The specific outcomes of this Markman are not detailed in the provided snippets.

Discovery Milestones

• Infringement Contentions (2025-03-12): K. Mizra LLC submitted its Disclosure of Asserted Claims and Infringement Contentions for Nokia. These contentions specified the asserted patents, claims, and priority dates.
• Preliminary Invalidity Contentions (Undated, prior to 2025-08-12): Nokia's preliminary invalidity contentions were filed, outlining prior art such as U.S. Patent No. 7,477,657 ("Murphy") and reserving the right to supplement these contentions as discovery proceeded.

Settlement, Dismissal, Judgment, or Appeal

• Dismissal Without Prejudice for Nokia (2025-08-12): An unopposed sealed motion to dismiss without prejudice was filed by K. Mizra LLC, resulting in the termination of Nokia Corporation and Nokia Solutions and Networks OY as defendants. This order also terminated counsel Deron R. Dacus and Thomas W. Davison, who were representing the dismissed defendants. The case status is listed as "Closed" in some records after this dismissal.

Parallel PTAB IPR/PGR Proceedings

• PGR2025-00068 (2025-11-15): A Post-Grant Review (PGR) proceeding, PGR2025-00068, was filed and is related to the patent infringement matter, specifically referencing the Eastern District of Texas case 2:24-cv-00974-JRG-RSP.
• IPR2025-01364 (Undated): Another related PTAB proceeding, IPR2025-01364, involves Ciena Corporation v. K.Mizra LLC and references the district court case. The exhibit provided in search results for IPR2025-01364 discusses the invalidity of a different patent (U.S. Patent No. 10,735,320) in view of prior art, which may indicate that other patents were also initially part of K. Mizra's portfolio in related disputes, or that this IPR is related to a different patent family owned by K.Mizra LLC.

In K.Mizra LLC v. Nokia Corporation et al. (2:24-cv-00974), the plaintiff, K.Mizra LLC, is represented by several attorneys. K.Mizra LLC is described as a non-practicing entity (NPE) focused on monetizing patent rights through licensing campaigns and litigation.

Here is the counsel of record representing K.Mizra LLC:

• Melissa R. Smith

  • Role: Partner, involved in intellectual property litigation.
  • Firm: Gillam & Smith, LLP, Marshall, Texas.
  • Experience Note: Ms. Smith has extensive experience trying lawsuits in the state and federal courts of the Eastern District of Texas for both plaintiffs and defendants. She has been recognized as a "Texas Superlawyer" since 2008 and is known for serving as local counsel in thousands of patent cases.

• J. Mark Mann

  • Role: Attorney, specializing in complex civil litigation including patent litigation.
  • Firm: MT2 Law Group, Tyler, Texas. (Also associated with Mann Tindel Thompson).
  • Experience Note: Mr. Mann is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and has extensive experience in intellectual property and complex commercial litigation.

• Christopher V. Goodpastor

  • Role: Trial lawyer focusing on patent and antitrust litigation.
  • Firm: DiNovo Price LLP.
  • Experience Note: Mr. Goodpastor has served as lead counsel in numerous high-stakes patent litigation matters, including securing a jury verdict against Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and successfully litigating patents related to Bluetooth wireless communication protocols. He also handles inter partes reviews (IPRs) before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) and has been recognized as a top-performing attorney representing patent owners.

• M. Scott Ferrell

  • Role: Lead counsel
  • Firm: Pacific Trial Attorneys, Newport Beach, California.
  • Experience Note: Mr. Ferrell is widely regarded as a successful trial lawyer, particularly in cases at the intersection of law and technology. He has a proven track record in obtaining significant judgments and has experience with internet-related privacy violations and class action litigation.

The involvement of these attorneys, particularly those from firms known for patent litigation in the Eastern District of Texas, aligns with K.Mizra LLC's strategy as a patent monetization entity.

In the patent infringement case K. Mizra LLC v. Nokia Corporation et al. (2:24-cv-00974) in the Eastern District of Texas, the defendants include Nokia Corporation, Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy, Nokia of America Corp., and Nokia USA Inc.. The counsel of record representing the defendants are primarily from Alston & Bird LLP.

As of the current date, the following attorneys are identified as counsel for the defendants:

• John D. Haynes
  • Role: Lead counsel
  • Firm: Alston & Bird LLP, Dallas, TX office.
  • Experience Note: Haynes is known for his extensive experience in patent litigation, particularly in the telecommunications and electronics sectors, and has represented major technology companies in complex patent disputes.
• Matthew S. Stevens
  • Role: Counsel
  • Firm: Alston & Bird LLP, Dallas, TX office.
  • Experience Note: Stevens' practice focuses on intellectual property litigation, including patent infringement defense for technology companies.
• Katherine G. Rubschlager
  • Role: Counsel
  • Firm: Alston & Bird LLP, Dallas, TX office.
  • Experience Note: Rubschlager's work at Alston & Bird includes patent litigation for clients in various technology fields.
• Nicolette Nunez
  • Role: Counsel
  • Firm: Alston & Bird LLP.
  • Experience Note: Nunez is part of Alston & Bird's intellectual property litigation team.
• Cathina L. Gunn-Rosas
  • Role: Counsel
  • Firm: Alston & Bird LLP.
  • Experience Note: Gunn-Rosas is involved in patent litigation matters with Alston & Bird.
• Madelaine Wieland
  • Role: Counsel
  • Firm: Alston & Bird LLP.
  • Experience Note: Wieland contributes to patent litigation defense for technology clients at Alston & Bird.

Note on terminated counsel:
According to docket entries, Deron R. Dacus (Dacus Firm) and Thomas W. Davison (Alston & Bird LLP) were terminated as counsel in an order signed on August 12, 2025, related to an unopposed sealed motion to dismiss. Therefore, they are no longer actively representing the defendants in this case.