Title: Stanford IP Litigation Clearinghouse

Source/Sponsoring Agency: Stanford University. Law School

URL: http://lexmachina.stanford.edu/

Date Checked: 1/5/2008      Status: Active

Date Annotated: 1/5/2008

Topics: patents; patent litigation; Intellectual Property Law;

Other keywords: patents; patent litigation; patent trends; patent data; intellectual property litigation; Stanford Law School, Information Law

Contents: On December 8, 2008, the Law, Science & Technology Program at Stanford Law School, together with several commercial and philanthropic partners, launched the Stanford Intellectual Property Litigation Clearinghouse (IPLC). A free online database, the site is being released to the public in phases, with the patent portion currently offering real-time comprehensive data regarding patent infringement litigation in the United States. Non-patent matters, including copyright, trademark, trade secret and antitrust currently offer only intermittent data while “pending additional fundraising.” The site provides a well-functioning full text advanced search engine by which one may narrow a search by case type and court, and which provides access to patent cases filed since 2000. Case information includes detailed docket entries and, occasionally, PDF copies of filed court documents. Also available are results, including outcomes and opinions. The most unique feature of the site is that it provides data summaries and trend analysis, so that lawyers, judges, scholars and policymakers may make informed decisions while proceeding to litigation, negotiating settlement, and conducting empirical studies. The site requires only that the user complete a brief one-time registration by entering first and last name, the name of the professional organization with which one is affiliated, email address, and proposed username and password. Users should take care to note the Terms of Use. Thus far, the site appears to be a fount of information for those dealing in patent matters, and promises the same for non-patent matters in the future.

Author of Annotation: A. Emerson