Untitled case

Competitor Lawsuit Over Secure ID Technology Moves to Western District of Virginia

Case Overview: In a patent dispute between two major players in the secure identification document industry, Thales DIS France SAS (Thales) has sued Canadian Bank Note Company, Ltd. and its subsidiary, CBN Secure Technologies, Inc. (collectively, CBN), for patent infringement. Thales, a French multinational technology company, alleges that CBN's production and supply of polycarbonate, laser-engraved driver's licenses and identification cards, including for New York State, infringe on its patented security features. The lawsuit, initially filed on November 3, 2025, in the famously fast-paced U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, has since been transferred to the Western District of Virginia as of April 20, 2026, and is now before District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles.

Asserted Patent and Procedural Posture: The single patent-in-suit is U.S. Patent No. 9,242,502, which claims an identification document with a security feature created by making a region of the document's non-transparent core thinner to form a translucent element for easier visual detection of forgery. This case is notable as a direct competitor lawsuit between two significant operating companies that supply high-security documents to government entities worldwide. The initial choice of the Eastern District of Virginia, known as the "Rocket Docket" for its speed, suggests Thales sought a swift resolution. However, the case was transferred to the Western District after the defendants filed a motion, which Thales did not oppose.

Notability and Parallel Proceedings: The dispute's significance is heightened by a parallel proceeding at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. On April 2, 2026, defendant Canadian Bank Note Company initiated an ex parte reexamination of the '502 patent (Application No. 90/020,166), challenging the validity of its claims. This move to invalidate the patent at the administrative level is a common defensive strategy that will run parallel to the district court litigation and could significantly impact its trajectory. The outcome of this case and the reexamination will likely influence the competitive landscape for government-issued secure identification documents in North America.

Key Legal Developments and Case Status

As of May 8, 2026, the patent infringement litigation initiated by Thales DIS France SAS is in its early stages. The most significant development has been the transfer of the case from the Eastern District of Virginia to the Western District of Virginia.

Filing and Initial Pleadings (2025-11-03)

On November 3, 2025, Thales DIS France SAS ("Thales") filed a patent infringement complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The case was assigned case number 1:25-cv-01949 and Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles.

The complaint identified Canadian Bank Note Company, Ltd. and its affiliate CBN Secure Technologies, Inc. (collectively, "CBN") as defendants. Thales alleges that CBN's manufacture and shipment to the U.S. of polycarbonate, laser-engraved driver's licenses and identification cards infringe upon U.S. Patent No. 9,242,502. The patent, titled "Identification document and a method of producing," covers security elements designed to improve the visual detection of forgeries. Thales is seeking monetary damages and other relief.

As the case is still in the pleading stage, no answer or counterclaims from CBN have been filed on the public docket.

Substantive Pre-Trial Motions: Motion to Transfer (2026-03-11)

On March 11, 2026, the CBN defendants filed a motion to transfer the case to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia. The docket indicates that Thales did not oppose this motion.

Case Transfer and Current Status (2026-04-20)

On April 20, 2026, Judge Giles granted the unopposed motion, ordering the case to be transferred to the Western District of Virginia. The case was assigned a new number, 6:26-cv-00040, and is now pending before Judge Norman K. Moon.

The case remains in the preliminary stages in its new venue. Key upcoming steps will include the filing of CBN's answer to the complaint, the entry of a scheduling order, and initial discovery.

Parallel PTAB Proceedings

A search of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) records indicates that, as of this date, no petitions for inter partes review (IPR) or other post-grant proceedings have been filed challenging the validity of U.S. Patent No. 9,242,502. Therefore, there are currently no parallel PTAB proceedings that would impact this litigation.

Based on a review of available court data and legal directories, the following counsel have been identified as representing the plaintiff, Thales DIS France SAS. The legal team appears to be a collaboration between the intellectual property boutique firm AddyHart P.C. and the Virginia-based firm Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black PLC, which is likely serving as local counsel.

Plaintiff's Counsel

AddyHart P.C.

• Name: Meredith Martin "Mimi" Addy

  • Role: Likely Lead Counsel
  • Firm: AddyHart P.C.
  • Office Location: Chicago, IL
  • Noteworthy Experience: A nationally recognized intellectual property litigator, Ms. Addy has handled over 100 appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and has extensive experience in complex patent litigation in federal district courts. She co-founded AddyHart and has held leadership positions at multiple AmLaw 100 firms.

• Name: Janet A. Pioli

  • Role: Of Counsel / Senior Counsel
  • Firm: AddyHart P.C.
  • Office Location: Chicago, IL
  • Noteworthy Experience: Ms. Pioli's practice focuses on strategic counseling for patent portfolios, patent prosecution, and inter partes review proceedings, with a robust appellate practice before the PTAB and the Federal Circuit. She is a past president of the Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago and has experience across a wide range of technologies, including medical devices and diagnostic systems.

Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black PLC (Local Counsel)

• Name: Joshua F. P. Long
  • Role: Local Counsel
  • Firm: Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black PLC
  • Office Location: Roanoke, VA
  • Noteworthy Experience: Mr. Long is a principal at Woods Rogers, and his practice areas include commercial and intellectual property litigation. The firm frequently acts as local counsel for out-of-state law firms in Virginia's federal courts, including the Eastern District.

It should be noted that some initial case aggregation data contained a likely typographical error, listing "C. Addyhart". This appears to be a mistaken reference to Meredith Addy's firm, AddyHart P.C., rather than a specific attorney. At present, no filings appear to be sealed, and the attorneys listed above are the primary counsel of record for the plaintiff based on available information.

Counsel for Defendants Canadian Bank Note Company, Ltd. and CBN Secure Technologies, Inc.

Based on a review of the docket, counsel for the defendants, Canadian Bank Note Company, Ltd. and its subsidiary CBN Secure Technologies, Inc., has appeared in the case. The legal team is comprised of attorneys from the Washington, D.C. office of Venable LLP.

Lead Counsel:

• Megan S. Woodworth: A partner at Venable LLP in the Washington, D.C. office. Her practice focuses on intellectual property litigation, with an emphasis on patent disputes before federal district courts, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).

• Frank C. Cimino, Jr.: A partner in Venable LLP's Washington, D.C. office. He is a seasoned trial lawyer with extensive experience in complex patent litigation across a wide range of technologies and venues, including the Eastern District of Virginia.

Of Counsel:

• Joshua C. Brady: An attorney at Venable LLP, also based in Washington, D.C. He signed the defendants' motion to transfer venue from the Eastern to the Western District of Virginia. His practice includes various aspects of intellectual property litigation and counseling.

No in-house counsel for Canadian Bank Note Company has formally appeared on the docket at this stage of the litigation.