BMW Wins TRO Against U.S. Patent Assertion in Germany

A Texas federal court recently granted Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) an ex parte temporary restraining order against non-practicing entity Onesta IP. The order, granted by Judge Alan Albright of the Western District of Texas, came after BMW argued that Onesta’s attempt to secure an injunction in Germany on U.S. patents could cause significant harm to the automaker. 

The dispute centers on two U.S. patents that Onesta asserted before the Munich Regional Court I in October. Rather than filing in a U.S. court, Onesta pursued litigation abroad, prompting BMW to seek relief in Texas through a declaratory judgment action and a request for an anti-suit injunction. BMW’s filing criticized the move as “extraterritorial forum shopping” aimed at avoiding the procedural and constitutional safeguards available in U.S. courts. 

“U.S. patent rights should be adjudicated exclusively by U.S. courts,” said Lionel Lavenue, partner at Finnegan and counsel for BMW. “Allowing foreign courts to decide U.S. patent issues risks conflicting judgments and undermines the integrity of U.S. law.” 

Judge Albright agreed, noting that permitting Onesta to proceed in Germany posed “a substantial risk of irreparable harm to BMW, and to the jurisdiction of this Court.” The temporary order preserves the status quo while the court considers BMW’s request for an anti-suit injunction that would bar Onesta from pursuing infringement claims on U.S. patents in foreign venues.  

Read “BMW Wins TRO Against U.S. Patent Assertion in Germany”