Virus Delays at Int’l Trade Commission Stir Case Backlog Worries

A potentially extended U.S. International Trade Commission ban on hearing cases has intellectual property litigators feeling uneasy.

The commission, a federal agency that handles intellectual property and trade disputes, is known for its speedy handling of investigations and powerful exclusion orders that can prevent the importation of products into the U.S.

The commission continues to process cases, including accepting new complaints and issuing orders. But the agency has postponed all hearings in intellectual property disputes through mid-May because of the Covid-19 pandemic, which can prevent judges from making determinations.

If the closure lasts into the summer, a backlog of patent ...