United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas

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United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
(E.D. Tex.)
Appeals to Fifth Circuit
Established February 21, 1857
Judges assigned 8
Chief judge Thad Heartfield
Official site

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas (in case citations, E.D. Tex.) is the Federal district court with jurisdiction over the eastern part of Texas and is a part of the Fifth Circuit. The court's headquarters are in Tyler, Texas and has five subdivision offices in Beaumont, Lufkin, Marshall, Sherman, and Texarkana. The district covers 43 counties in Texas. The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court.

Appeals from cases brought in the Eastern District of Texas are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit.

Contents

[edit] Patent litigation

Most recently, the Eastern District of Texas has seen an increase in the number of cases filed relating to patent infringement. This District has experienced an increase in the number of patent cases filed and tried, notably in the courts of Judge T. John Ward in the Marshall Division and Judge Leonard Davis in the Marshall and Tyler Divisions. Perhaps because the district has a set of local rules for patent cases and relatively fast trial settings, patent plaintiffs have flocked to this small venue. In addition the proximity to larger cities (such as Dallas and Houston) along with an aging jury pool interested in protecting property rights, may attract patent cases to Marshall, Tyler, and Texarkana, Texas.

Also of note is the fact that the court's local rules allow any attorney admitted to any state bar—not just that of Texas—to be admitted to practice in the Eastern District.[1]

In 2003, there were 14 patent cases filed. In 2004, this number more than quadrupled to 59 patent cases filed. In 2006, the number of cases grew to an estimated 236.[2]

The district has been criticized for a perceived bias towards plaintiffs in patent infringement lawsuits, including patent trolls and other holders of dubious patents.[3]

[edit] Judges

  • Judge Thad Heartfield has announced that he will assume senior status on January 1, 2010, which will create a vacancy in the District.
Judge Appointed by Began active
service		 Ended active
service		 Ended senior
status		 End reason
, Paul Neeley Brown Ronald Reagan 19851017October 17, 1985 20010401April 1, 2001 Incumbent 0–
, David Ezekiel Bryant Benjamin Harrison 18900527May 27, 1890 19100205February 5, 1910 0– death
, Randolph Bryant Herbert Hoover 19310124January 24, 1931 19510424April 24, 1951 0– death
, Lamar John Ryan Cecil Dwight D. Eisenhower 19540831August 31, 1954[4] 19580214February 14, 1958 0– death
, Ron Clark George W. Bush 20021010October 10, 2002 Incumbent 0– 0–
, Howell Cobb Ronald Reagan 19850404April 4, 1985 20010301March 1, 2001 20050916September 16, 2005 death
, Marcia A. Crone George W. Bush 20031003October 3, 2003 Incumbent 0– 0–
, Leonard Davis George W. Bush 20020510May 10, 2002 Incumbent 0– 0–
, William Lee Estes Woodrow Wilson 19200218February 18, 1920 19300614June 14, 1930 0– death
, Joseph Jefferson Fisher Dwight D. Eisenhower 19590910September 10, 1959 19840130January 30, 1984 20000619June 19, 2000 death
, David Folsom Bill Clinton 19950317March 17, 1995 Incumbent 0– 0–
, Sam Blakeley Hall Jr. Ronald Reagan 19850510May 10, 1985 19940410April 10, 1994 0– death
, John H. Hannah, Jr. Bill Clinton 19940311March 11, 1994 20031204December 4, 2003 0– death
, Thad Heartfield Bill Clinton 19950317March 17, 1995 Incumbent 0– 0–
, William Wayne Justice Lyndon B. Johnson 19680607June 7, 1968 19980630June 30, 1998 Incumbent 0–
, Amos Morrill Ulysses Grant 18720205February 5, 1872 18831018October 18, 1883 0– retirement
, Robert Manley Parker Jimmy Carter 19790426April 26, 1979 19940617June 17, 1994 0– reappointment
, Gordon J. Russell William H. Taft 19100606June 6, 1910 19190914September 14, 1919 0– death
, Chauncey Brewer Sabin Chester A. Arthur 18840405April 5, 1884 18900330March 30, 1890 0– death
, Richard A. Schell Ronald Reagan 19880606June 6, 1988 Incumbent 0– 0–
, Michael H. Schneider, Sr. George W. Bush 20040910September 10, 2004 Incumbent 0– 0–
, Joseph Warren Sheehy Harry S Truman 19510608June 8, 1951 19670223February 23, 1967 0– death
, William Steger Richard M. Nixon 19701201December 1, 1970 19871231December 31, 1987 20060604June 4, 2006 death
, T. John Ward Bill Clinton 19990715July 15, 1999 Incumbent 0– 0–
, John Charles Watrous James K. Polk 18460529May 29, 1846 18700419April 19, 1870 0– resignation
, Joel C. C. Winch Ulysses Grant 18701011October 11, 1870[5] (date) 0– 0–

Current magistrate judges are Judge Don Bush, Judge Caroline M. Craven, Judge Chad Everingham, Judge Keith F. Giblin, Judge Judith Guthrie, Judge Earl S. Hines and Judge John Love.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ "Local Rule AT–1: Admission to Practice" (PDF). U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas Local Court Rules. 2009-03-26. pp. 30–31. http://www.txed.uscourts.gov/Rules/LocalRules/Documents/Local%20rules.pdf#page=30. Retrieved on 2009-06-14. 
  2. ^ JULIE CRESWELL, "So Small a Town, So Many Patent Suits", New York Times, September 24, 2006
  3. ^ A Haven for Patent Pirates
  4. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on November 8, 1954, confirmed by the United States Senate on December 2, 1954, and received commission on December 3, 1954.
  5. ^ Recess appointment; the United States Senate later rejected the appointment.

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_District_Court_for_the_Eastern_District_of_Texas"
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