Harness IP is pleased to announce that firm clients Stahls’ Inc. and Siser North America Inc. have successfully invalidated three patents asserted against them in co-pending litigation. The patent owner previously asserted the same patents against a different defendant in a jury trial that awarded her $4.5 million.

Harness IP attorneys Glenn Forbis, Brad Luchsinger, Matt Cutler, and Jewell Briggs filed seven petitions for Inter Partes Review in response to two patent infringement suits brought by patent owner Jodi Schwendimann. The patents in suit relate to t-shirt graphics thermal transfer technology.

The Patent Trial and Appeal Board handed down four decisions on September 13 that invalidated two of the patents. Two more decisions were handed down on October 1 invalidating the third patent.

As reported by Law360, Schwendimann filed suit against Stahls’ in Michigan federal court and filed a separate suit against Siser North America in Delaware federal court. With the most recent round of PTAB decisions, all of the patents asserted against Siser North America are now rendered invalid. Stahls’ awaits a decision (expected in December) on the last pending IPR challenging another patent asserted by Schwendimann.

The patents-in-suit were previously involved in a lawsuit against Arkwright Advanced Coating in 2011. Schwendimann filed the suit in Minnesota federal court, resulting in a $4.5 million jury verdict for her in 2017.