West to Waco

Victor C Johnson considers the legal changes that have been made in the Western District of Texas that has led to Waco’s growth as a major IP city

Victor C Johnson, Dykema

The Eastern District of Texas (EDTX) includes the cities of Plano, Sherman, Tyler, Beaumont, Lufkin, Texarkana, and Marshall. Compared to other judicial districts, the EDTX has always comprised of a relatively small number of federal judges. Today the EDTX has just 11 judges, which pales in comparison to more heavily populated areas, such as the Central District of California, which has 27 judges. Despite its relative size, however, for most of the last 20 years the EDTX has held the top spot as the district handling the most patent lawsuits nationwide. But recent changes in the law and the appointment of a new federal judge in Waco, Texas has upended the EDTX’s dominance.