Federal Caseload Bogged Down By Patent Litigation, Survey Finds

Patent cases and multidistrict litigation were two primary contributors to the federal district courts with the heaviest caseloads from June 2013 to June 2014, a study by Syracuse University found. The Eastern District of Texas – known as a favorable court for patent assertion firms – was the busiest court, with an average of 1,510 criminal and civil filings per judge, according to the survey. Judge Bill Wilson of the Eastern District of Arkansas closed more than 3,000 cases, more than any other federal judge.