NYTimes does Marshall (Texas)

Marshall, Texas has become so famous that even the New York Times is covering it.

The Times noted: More patent lawsuits will be filed here this year than in federal district courts in San Francisco, Chicago, New York and Washington. Only the Central District of California, in Los Angeles, will handle more patent infringement cases.

The Times trots out the statistics: What’s behind the rush to file patent lawsuits here? A combination of quick trials and plaintiff-friendly juries, many lawyers say. Patent cases are heard faster in Marshall than in many other courts. And while only a small number of cases make it to trial — roughly 5 percent — patent holders win 78 percent of the time, compared with an average of 59 percent nationwide, according to LegalMetric, a company that tracks patent litigation.

The impact on the local economy is evident: “During the TiVo-EchoStar trial, 90 percent of my revenue for one month came from one of the law firms in the case,” said Phillip W. Gurganus, manager of the local 68-room Hampton Inn, where rates run $77 a night.

IPBiz wonders: when is someone going to get around to getting the Finisar injunction decision on LEXIS? IPBiz is betting that the analysis won't hold up on appeal.