Policy Letting Patent Cases Land in Waco Gets Judiciary Look (1)

A case assignment process at a federal trial court in Texas that lawmakers say has allowed litigants to ensure a single judge hears their case will be reviewed by the judiciary’s policymaking arm.

In response to a bipartisan letter from two Senate Judiciary Committee members expressing concern about the policy in the Western District of Texas, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts has asked the Judicial Conference Committee on Court Administration and Case Management to consider whether recommendations are needed.

“From a long-standing national policy perspective, the Judicial Conference strongly supports the random assignment of cases and the notion ...