Untitled case

This patent infringement case, 7:26-cv-00068, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. The plaintiff is Piney Woods Mobility LLC, which appears to be a non-practicing entity (NPE) or patent assertion entity (PAE) based on common litigation patterns in the venue. The defendant is [Apple Inc.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Apple%20Inc.), a major operating company known for its consumer electronics and software. The case was initially assigned to Judge David Counts but was subsequently reassigned to Judge Alan D. Albright for all proceedings.

The sole patent asserted in this litigation is U.S. Patent No. 9,031,581. A technical sketch of patent 9031581 describes a "Method, system, and device for processing, providing, and using data files with respect to time-limited access and use authorization." This patent generally relates to managing access to data files where authorization is time-limited, and operation of a player program can be inhibited unless further payments are received to renew or extend authorization. The specific products, services, or technologies accused of infringement by Piney Woods Mobility LLC against Apple Inc. are not explicitly detailed in the public docket entries reviewed without access to the full complaint.

The procedural posture places this case in the Western District of Texas, Waco Division, before Judge Alan D. Albright. This venue has been a prominent forum for patent litigation, particularly for NPEs, largely due to Judge Albright's practices, which have historically favored plaintiffs with expedited schedules and a restrictive approach to certain defensive motions like transfers and stays. Although the Western District of Texas implemented an order in July 2022 to randomly assign patent cases across judges to address concerns about judge shopping, Judge Albright continues to handle a significant portion of patent cases, especially those related to existing cases on his docket. The notability of this case stems from the involvement of a likely NPE asserting a data access management patent against a major technology company like Apple, coupled with its placement in a historically plaintiff-friendly patent venue.

The patent infringement case, Piney Woods Mobility LLC v. Apple Inc., case number 7:26-cv-00068, was filed in the Western District of Texas on February 26, 2026. The case involves U.S. Patent 9,031,581.

Given the recent filing date, the litigation is in its very early stages.

Key Legal Developments:

• 2026-02-26: Complaint Filed. Plaintiff Piney Woods Mobility LLC filed the initial complaint against Apple Inc., alleging patent infringement of U.S. Patent 9,031,581.
• 2026-02-26: Request for Issuance of Summons. Piney Woods Mobility LLC requested the issuance of summons for the defendant.
• 2026-02-27: Summons Issued. Summons was issued to Apple Inc.
• 2026-02-27: Case Reassigned to Judge Albright. The case was initially assigned to Judge David Counts, but was subsequently reassigned to Judge Alan D. Albright for all proceedings.

As of June 4, 2026, there are no public records indicating that Apple Inc. has filed an answer, counterclaims, or any substantive pre-trial motions such as motions to dismiss, transfer, or stay pending IPR. The case has not progressed to claim construction, discovery, trial, or appeal, and there is no record of a final outcome or settlement at this early stage. There are also no readily available public records of parallel PTAB IPR or PGR proceedings specifically targeting U.S. Patent 9,031,581.

I am unable to identify the specific counsel of record representing the plaintiff(s) in case 7:26-cv-00068, Piney Woods Mobility LLC v. Apple Inc., based on the initial search results. While the case details (caption, court, case number, and patents at issue) are confirmed, the provided information does not include a list of appearing attorneys for the plaintiff.

Further investigation into the PACER docket directly would be necessary to ascertain the names, roles, and affiliations of the plaintiff's legal team. Without direct access to the docket entries showing counsel appearances, it is not possible to provide the requested details regarding their firms, office locations, or relevant patent litigation experience.

To identify the counsel of record representing the defendant(s) in Piney Woods Mobility LLC v. Apple Inc. (7:26-cv-00068) in the Texas Western District Court, additional specific docket information is required. The case was filed on February 26, 2026, with Apple Inc. as the defendant. As of the current date, June 4, 2026, detailed docket entries indicating specific appearances by defense counsel are not readily available through general web searches.

Therefore, without direct access to the PACER docket for case 7:26-cv-00068, the counsel of record representing the defendant(s) cannot be definitively identified at this time. Filings related to counsel appearances are typically found within the case docket itself.