SAN FRANCISCO — The Federal Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals issued a writ of mandamus Monday that will make it easier for defendants in patent cases to spring themselves from the plaintiff-friendly, oftentimes inescapable Eastern District of Texas.

The court ruled that Eastern District Judge John Ward “clearly abused” his discretion when he denied TS Tech Co.’s motion to transfer its patent fight with Lear Corp. to a more convenient venue in Ohio.