Uniloc USA, Inc. v. Htc America, Inc. ( 2019 )


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  •        NOTE: This disposition is nonprecedential.
    United States Court of Appeals
    for the Federal Circuit
    ______________________
    UNILOC USA, INC., UNILOC LUXEMBOURG S.A.,
    UNILOC 2017 LLC,
    Plaintiffs-Appellants
    v.
    HTC AMERICA, INC.,
    Defendant-Appellee
    ______________________
    2018-2185
    ______________________
    Appeal from the United States District Court for the
    Western District of Washington in No. 2:17-cv-01558-JLR,
    Senior Judge James L. Robart.
    ______________________
    Decided: August 30, 2019
    ______________________
    JAMES J. FOSTER, Prince Lobel Tye LLP, Boston, MA,
    argued for plaintiffs-appellants. Also represented by PAUL
    J. HAYES, I, AARON JACOBS.
    TODD ERIC LANDIS, Vinson & Elkins LLP, Dallas, TX,
    argued for defendant-appellee. Also represented by FRED
    WILLIAMS, MARIO A. APREOTESI, Austin, TX.
    ______________________
    2                       UNILOC USA, INC. v. HTC AMERICA, INC.
    Before PROST, Chief Judge, PLAGER and HUGHES, Circuit
    Judges.
    HUGHES, Circuit Judge.
    Uniloc USA, Inc. and Uniloc Luxembourg S.A. appeal
    the dismissal of an infringement action in the U.S. District
    Court for the Western District of Washington. Uniloc USA,
    Inc. v. HTC America, Inc., No. C17-1558JLR, 
    2018 WL 3008870
    , at *1 (W.D. Wash. June 15, 2018). After Uniloc
    filed its appeal, HTC became aware of material suggesting
    multiple jurisdictional defects. Because this material is
    outside the record, we remand for the district court to sup-
    plement the record, determine whether Uniloc has stand-
    ing in the first instance, and, if appropriate, cure any
    jurisdictional defects.
    I
    This case began when Uniloc sued HTC for infringe-
    ment of U.S. Patent No. 6,622,018. HTC moved to dismiss,
    arguing that the ’018 patent was directed to patent ineligi-
    ble subject matter. On June 14, 2018, the district court
    granted HTC’s motion. Uniloc appealed.
    On appeal, Uniloc moved, unopposed, to join Uniloc
    2017 LLC as a party. We granted the motion but stipulated
    that it be left to the merits panel “to decide what, if any,
    jurisdictional concerns are raised by the transfer of owner-
    ship as outlined in the jurisdictional statement in HTC’s
    response brief in th[is] case.” Order Granting Pl.-Appel-
    lant’s Mot. for Joinder, ECF No. 29 at 2.
    II
    In its response brief, HTC argued that Uniloc lacks
    standing and “respectfully request[ed] that this Court
    adopt here the same decision that it makes regarding Ap-
    ple’s jurisdictional challenges” in the co-pending appeal
    Uniloc USA, Inc. v. Apple Inc., No. 2018-2094, slip op. (Fed.
    Cir. Aug. 30, 2019). Appellee’s Br. at 2–3. HTC contended
    UNILOC USA, INC. v. HTC AMERICA, INC.                    3
    that “the jurisdictional issues in both cases are based on
    the same underlying agreements and contracts.” 
    Id. We agree,
    and pursuant to the analysis provided in our
    decision in Uniloc USA, Inc., No. 2018-2094, slip op. at 5–
    8, we remand to the district court to supplement the record
    with the documents related to jurisdiction and to resolve
    the presented jurisdictional issues in the first instance.
    VACATED AND REMANDED
    No costs.
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 18-2185

Filed Date: 8/30/2019

Precedential Status: Non-Precedential

Modified Date: 8/30/2019