A Blog About Intellectual Property Litigation and the District of Delaware


Entries for tag: Extension

"Emergency" Attempt to Extend SJ Deadlines Fails

Andrew E. Russell, Oct. 4, 2023
Extension Emergency Motion

Emergency
Jason Leung, Unsplash

Generally Delaware counsel are downright accommodating when it comes to granting extension requests. One common refrain is that "if we don't grant it, they'll just move, and the Court will grant it."

Often that's true—I've seen multiple successful emergency motions to extend deadlines after opposing counsel unreasonably denied an extension. Typically these seek a short extension (a few days, or sometimes 30 days for a response to a complaint) and are backed by good reasons.

Uh Oh - An Emergency Extension Motion Fails

That's why I thought it was interesting to see an "emergency" attempt at extending a deadline fail, in Speyside Medical, LLC v. Medtronic Corevalve, LLC, C.A. No. 20-361-GBW-CJB (D. Del.). …

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Check the Docket Before Failing to Appear for a Hearing

Emily DiBenedetto, April 25, 2023
Stipulation Meet-and-Confer

Broken Communication
Reid Naaykens, Unsplash

Parties can freely stipulate to many things in the District of Delaware, and often stipulations to extend deadlines are filed close to the last minute, especially where the parties are working toward agreement but ultimately cannot agree on the final filing in time (or else are having trouble connecting with the other side).

However, stipulations filed close to the Delaware witching hour (5:00PM EST) can be fraught with risk of the Court's denial, as we’ve seen in past heart-stopping examples. We’ve warned before that requests to move Court-scheduled conferences are in the “iffy” category, and combined with last minute filing, can end in disappointment for everyone, as shown in an oral order from Judge Noreika last week in Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. v. Lupin Limited et al., C.A. 21-1042, D.I. 197 (D. Del. Jul. 16, 2021):

On April 17, 2023, the Court instructed the parties to talk to each other about their disputes so that a follow-up call with the Court (set for April 21, 2023) would be more productive than the prior call. On April 21, 2023, a few hours before the set call, the parties submitted a stipulation requesting the April 21 call be delayed. After further inquiries, it became clear that, in the five days after the Court directed the parties to TALK, they did not do so. The Court intended to address that during the April 21 call, but no counsel appeared for the call (notwithstanding that the Court had not granted the request for a delay). THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that, should the parties not inform the Court that they have resolved their dispute in full by Tuesday April 25, 2023, lead trial counsel SHALL appear in person in Courtroom 4A on April 26, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. ORDERED by Judge Maryellen Noreika on 4/21/2023.

Judge Noreika previously indicated frustration with the magnitude of this particular discovery dispute (on search methods to find responsive documents), so the parties were on thin ice long before ...

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Needs Must When Markman Drives

Nathan R. Hoeschen, April 18, 2023
Extension Stay

As a peak behind the curtain, I don't normally tell muggles (non-patent folk) that I write a blog. I can't help but put myself in their shoes and imagine myself at a party talking to a man in a polo shirt who writes a blog about . . . cured meats? I see myself pressed firmly against a wall while my eyes dart madly for help that I know will not come. On his shirt - pastrami.

You see, it's in the temperature of the cure—too long, and you've lost yourself a brisket
You see, it's in the temperature of the cure—too long, and you've lost yourself a brisket AI-Generated, displayed with permission

I don't want to be that man.

But today my wife told me that she's started reading the blog. Her favorite is the one with the crab. I am ever so pleased and am inspired to maintain the commitment to the craft of blogging which has made IP/DE the bulwark of modern culture it is.

[Insert seamless transition to legal analysis here, then remember to delete this before posting]

This brings us to a novel argument to (essentially) stay 101 briefing, which Judge Williams soundly rejected yesterday. The defendant in SurgeTech, LLC v. Uber Techs. Inc., C.A. No. 22-882-GBW (D. Del. Apr. 17, 2023) (Oral Order), moved for judgment on the pleadings on 101 grounds a bit later than usual -- just after the submission of the joint claim construction chart.

The plaintiff then moved for a 5 week extension of its deadline to respond, ...

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