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RC v. The Partnerships and Unincorporated Associations Identified in Schedule A - 1:2025cv04530

Explore the details of the RC v. The Partnerships and Unincorporated Associations Identified in Schedule A case under case number 1:2025cv04530 involving a cause of action for Patent Infringement. Review key information about the parties involved, the patents in question, and the docket entries.

Case Details

Case Number
1:2025cv04530
Filing Date
Apr 25, 2025
Cause of Action
Patent Infringement
Status
OPEN
Case Link
View Case
Nature of Suit
830

Plaintiffs

The following plaintiffs are involved in this case, with their respective legal representatives for the case.

CompanyRepresented By
RC
Flener Ip & Business Law

Defendants

The following defendants are involved in this case, with their respective legal representatives for the case.

CompanyRepresented By
The Partnerships and Unincorporated Associations Identified in Schedule A -

Patents Involved in the Case

Patents not found - set an alert to get notified when patents are added.

Docket Entries

The Docket Entries section provides a chronological list of all significant filings and court actions in this case.

DateDocket EntryType

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May 21, 2025ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiff RC by Zareefa Burki Flener (Flener, Zareefa) (Entered: 05/21/2025)ATTORNEY
May 21, 2025ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiff RC by Ying Chen (Chen, Ying) (Entered: 05/21/2025)ATTORNEY
Apr 29, 2025MINUTE entry before the Honorable John Robert Blakey: In this patent infringement case, Plaintiff seeks to sue 314 separate defendants for infringement of its trademarks, copyrights, and patent, see 5 . But such joinder appears to run afoul of 35 U.S.C. § 299, which provides that "parties that are accused infringers may be joined in one action as defendants... only if-- (1) any right to relief is asserted against the parties jointly, severally, or in the alternative with respect to or arising out of the same transaction, occurrence, or series of transactions or occurrences relating to the making, using, importing into the United States, offering for sale, or selling of the same accused product or process; and (2) questions of fact common to all defendants or counterclaim defendants will arise in the action." Id. § 299(a). The statute specifically provides that "accused infringers may not be joined in one action as defendants... based solely on allegations that they each have infringed the patent or patents in suit." Id. § 299(b). Along the same lines, joinder of multiple defendants in a single trademark or copyright infringement action remains appropriate only if the claims against the defendants are asserted "with respect to or arising out of the same transaction, occurrence, or series of transactions or occurrences," and a common question of law or fact exists as to all defendants. Fed. R. Civ. P. 20(a)(2)(A)-(B). In this regard, Plaintiff's complaint, which lumps all Defendants together, alleges that "the Defendant Internet Stores share unique identifiers, such as similar design elements of the infringing products offered for sale and, on information and belief, these similarities suggest that the Defendant Internet Stores share common manufacturing sources, thus establishing that the Defendants' counterfeiting and infringing operations arise out of the same transaction, occurrence, or series of transactions or occurrences." 5 at 4. Plaintiff also alleges that the "Defendant Internet Stores share unique identifiers, such as common design elements, the same or similar counterfeit products that they offer for sale, similar counterfeit product descriptions, the same or substantially similar shopping cart platforms, accepted payment methods, and check-out methods, lack of contact information, and identically or similarly priced counterfeit products and volume sale discounts. As such, the Defendant Internet Stores establish a logical relationship between them and suggest that Defendants' illegal operations arise out of the same transaction or occurrence." Id. at 18. But these allegations remain conclusory and unsupported; what's more, the conclusion does not necessarily follow from the alleged facts; it is equally possible that each online retailer set up shop in the same or similar manner. See, e.g., Estee Lauder Cosms. Ltd. v. Partnerships & Unincorporated Associations Identified on Schedule A, 334 F.R.D. 182, 188-89 (N.D. Ill. 2020). Plaintiff also alleges that the allegedly "infringing products for sale in Defendant Internet Stores bear similarities and indicia of being related to one another, suggesting that the infringing products were manufactured by and come from a common source and that, upon information and belief, Defendants are interrelated." Id. at 24. But this allegation also remains conclusory and unsupported. The Court accordingly finds that Plaintiff may not proceed on the current complaint 1 , 5 and dismisses it without prejudice. If Plaintiff can, consistent with its obligations under Rule 11, amend its complaint to support the joinder of the identified Defendants in this single action, it may do so by 5/30/25. The Court grants Plaintiff's motion to seal 4 , and Plaintiff may file its amended complaint under seal as well. If Plaintiff declines to amend, the Court will dismiss this case. Mailed notice. (evw, ) (Entered: 04/30/2025)MINUTE
Apr 29, 2025MAILED Patent Request Letter to Plaintiff's counsel. (aee, ) (Entered: 04/29/2025)MAILED
Apr 25, 2025SEALED DOCUMENT by Plaintiff RC Unredacted Complaint (Attachments: # 1 Schedule A, # 2 Ex.1)(Judge, James) (Entered: 04/25/2025)SEALED DOCUMENT
Apr 25, 2025MOTION by Plaintiff RC for leave to file documents under seal (Judge, James) (Entered: 04/25/2025)MOTION
Apr 25, 2025ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiff RC by James Edward Judge (Judge, James) (Entered: 04/25/2025)ATTORNEY
Apr 25, 2025CIVIL Cover Sheet (Judge, James) (Entered: 04/25/2025)CIVIL
Apr 25, 2025COMPLAINT filed by RC; Jury Demand. Filing fee $ 405, receipt number AILNDC-23399547. (Attachments: # 1 Schedule A, # 2 Ex.1, # 3 Ex.2, # 4 Ex.3)(Judge, James) (Entered: 04/25/2025)COMPLAINT