Many SEMA members have secured design or utility patents from the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office only to discover that their patented product is being infringed by imports. If litigation is ultimately necessary to combat the problem, there are two possible forums in which to pursue a grievance, the U.S. International Trade Commission and a federal district court. Each forum has advantages and disadvantages.
As part of its ongoing efforts to help SEMA members protect their intellectual property, SEMA asked Merritt Blakeslee of the Blakeslee Law Firm to prepare an exclusive guide to patent infringement litigation options. Blakeslee specializes on the topic and has conducted a number of intellectual property protection seminars and webinars for SEMA members.
Click here to download the article. For general information about IPR protection, visit www.sema.org/ipr.