Untitled case

Vermeer Manufacturing Company initiated a patent infringement lawsuit against Kubota North America Corporation and Kubota Tractor Corporation in the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division, under Judge Mark Pittman. The plaintiff, Vermeer Manufacturing Company, is an Iowa-based operating company known for manufacturing industrial and agricultural equipment. The defendants, Kubota North America Corporation and Kubota Tractor Corporation, are also operating companies, global leaders in the manufacture of various machinery, including agricultural and construction equipment.

The litigation centers on the alleged infringement of U.S. Patent No. 9,975,750, among others, with the accused products generally relating to skid steer machinery, specifically mentioning the Kubota SCL1000 Stand-On Compact Loader in relation to an asserted patent. U.S. Patent No. 9,975,750 is titled "Low Profile Compact Tool Carriers," describing innovations in the design and functionality of such equipment.

The case, filed on August 20, 2024, was stayed and administratively closed on March 19, 2025, pending inter partes reviews (IPRs) of the asserted patents before the Patent Trials and Appeals Board (PTAB). This procedural posture highlights the strategic use of IPRs by defendants to challenge patent validity, often leading to a stay of co-pending district court litigation. The Northern District of Texas is a significant venue for patent cases, and the swift stay due to IPR filings underscores the common linkage between district court infringement actions and PTAB validity challenges, impacting the trajectory of patent disputes within the industry.

The patent infringement litigation concerning US Patent 9975750, case number 4:24-cv-00799 in the Texas Northern District Court, involves Plaintiff Vermeer Manufacturing Company and Defendants Kubota North America Corporation and Kubota Tractor Corporation. The case is currently stayed pending inter partes review (IPR) proceedings at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).

Here is a chronological overview of the key legal developments:

• 2024-08-20: Complaint Filed. Vermeer Manufacturing Company filed a complaint against Kubota North America Corporation and Kubota Tractor Corporation in the Northern District of Texas. The initial complaint alleged infringement of U.S. Patent No. 9,321,386, U.S. Patent No. 9,975,750, and U.S. Patent No. 10,202,266.
• 2024-11-15: First Set of IPR Petitions Filed. Kubota filed its first set of inter partes review (IPR) petitions with the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) challenging the validity of U.S. Patent Nos. 9,321,386, 9,975,750, and 10,202,266.
• 2024-12-04: Amended Complaint Filed. Vermeer filed an amended complaint, adding U.S. Patent Nos. 9,875,891 and 10,202,063 to the asserted patents.
• 2025-01-07: Second Set of IPR Petitions Filed. Kubota filed a second set of IPR petitions with the PTAB, challenging the newly added U.S. Patent Nos. 9,875,891 and 10,202,063.
• 2025-03-19: Case Stayed Pending IPRs. The District Court, presided over by Judge Mark Pittman, granted Kubota's motion to stay the case pending the outcome of the IPR proceedings at the PTAB. The PTAB was expected to make institution decisions on the first set of IPR petitions by June 2025.

Current Posture:
As of July 1, 2026, the case remains stayed pending the completion of the inter partes review proceedings at the PTAB. No claim construction (Markman) hearing or trial events have occurred. The status of the IPR proceedings, particularly institution decisions and any final written decisions for US Patent 9975750, would determine the next steps in the district court litigation.

Here is the counsel of record representing the plaintiff, Vermeer Manufacturing Company, in case 4:24-cv-00799 in the Texas Northern District Court:

Local Counsel

• Name: J. Austin Franklin
• Role: Local Counsel
• Firm: Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP
• Office Location: Fort Worth, TX
• Relevant Experience: Mr. Franklin is an attorney at Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP and is listed with a Texas Bar number on filings for the plaintiff. His role is inferred as local counsel due to his firm's location within the district.

Of Counsel (Pro Hac Vice)

The following attorneys from Armstrong Teasdale LLP have appeared pro hac vice on behalf of the plaintiff:

• Name: Richard L. Brophy

• Role: Of Counsel

• Firm: Armstrong Teasdale LLP

• Office Location: St. Louis, MO

• Relevant Experience: Mr. Brophy is a partner at Armstrong Teasdale and co-chairs the firm's Intellectual Property practice group, focusing on patent litigation, post-grant proceedings, and intellectual property counseling.

• Name: Marc Vander Tuig

• Role: Of Counsel

• Firm: Armstrong Teasdale LLP

• Office Location: St. Louis, MO

• Relevant Experience: Mr. Vander Tuig is a partner at Armstrong Teasdale whose practice includes patent litigation, particularly in mechanical and electromechanical arts, as well as patent prosecution and post-grant proceedings.

• Name: Melanie E. King

• Role: Of Counsel

• Firm: Armstrong Teasdale LLP

• Office Location: St. Louis, MO

• Relevant Experience: Ms. King is a partner in Armstrong Teasdale's Intellectual Property group, handling patent litigation, particularly in mechanical and medical device fields, and a variety of other intellectual property matters.

• Name: Sydney K. Johnson

• Role: Of Counsel

• Firm: Armstrong Teasdale LLP

• Office Location: St. Louis, MO

• Relevant Experience: Ms. Johnson is an associate at Armstrong Teasdale, focusing her practice on intellectual property litigation, including patent infringement cases.

• Name: Alyssa H. Ruderman

• Role: Of Counsel

• Firm: Armstrong Teasdale LLP

• Office Location: New York, NY

• Relevant Experience: Ms. Ruderman is a partner at Armstrong Teasdale, specializing in intellectual property litigation, including patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret disputes across various industries.

Based on the authoritative case metadata provided and corroborated by search results, the case 4:24-cv-00799 in the Texas Northern District Court is Vermeer Manufacturing Company v. Kubota North America Corporation et al. The patent at issue includes U.S. Patent No. 9,975,750. While the case is listed as "Active" in the prompt, public records indicate it was administratively closed on March 19, 2025, after the court granted a motion to stay proceedings pending inter partes reviews (IPRs) at the USPTO.

The counsel of record representing the defendants, Kubota North America Corporation and Kubota Tractor Corporation, are primarily from Haynes and Boone, LLP.

Here is the identified counsel:

• Jason Lao
  • Role: Counsel
  • Firm: Haynes and Boone, LLP
  • Office Location: Dallas, TX (common office for Haynes and Boone in Texas)
  • Experience Note: Known for patent litigation.
• Jamie Raju
  • Role: Counsel
  • Firm: Haynes and Boone, LLP
  • Office Location: Dallas, TX (common office for Haynes and Boone in Texas)
  • Experience Note: Known for patent litigation.
• Brian E. Singleterry
  • Role: Counsel
  • Firm: Haynes and Boone, LLP
  • Office Location: Dallas, TX (common office for Haynes and Boone in Texas)
  • Experience Note: Known for patent litigation.
• Thomas J. Williams
  • Role: Counsel
  • Firm: Haynes & Boone
  • Office Location: Dallas, TX (common office for Haynes and Boone in Texas)
  • Experience Note: Known for patent litigation.
• John R. Emerson
  • Role: Counsel
  • Firm: Haynes and Boone, LLP
  • Office Location: Dallas, TX (common office for Haynes and Boone in Texas)
  • Experience Note: Known for patent litigation.

No specific attorneys from Armstrong Teasdale LLP were listed as representing Kubota in the provided snippets, rather, Armstrong Teasdale LLP attorneys were listed for the plaintiff, Vermeer Manufacturing Company. No "of counsel," "local counsel," or "in-house" roles were explicitly specified for the listed attorneys within the search results, so they are identified generally as "Counsel." Further docket analysis beyond publicly available snippets would be needed for more specific roles or additional attorneys.