After substantial study and debate, the District of Connecticut has approved a uniform Standing Order in Patent Cases that became effective October 1, 2013 for those judges who adopt it. Following the work of an ad hoc committee formed by then-Chief Judge Alvin W. Thompson in 2011 and chaired by Judge Vanessa L. Bryant, the court approved a form of order based on local rules adopted in the neighboring Southern District of New York. (Disclosure: The author served as a member of the committee.)
The Standing Order is intended to facilitate case planning and management in patent cases, reduce delays in the resolution of those cases, and improve the efficiency and fairness with which patent cases are handled in Connecticut — all Rule 1 stuff. See Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 1 (seeking “to secure the just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of every action and proceeding”).
