Venable counsel Robert Davis was quoted in a May 22, 2014 Bloomberg BNA article on legislation targeting illegitimate fraudulent patent demand letters from patent trolls. Following proceedings before the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade, legislation targeting abuses in patent infringement lawsuit filings and litigation proceedings stalled while legislation aimed at abuses in lawsuit-threatening demand letters rose.
One of the main issues of debate involved a “catch-all” provision allowing the Federal Trade Commission and states to bring actions against patent troll activities not explicitly listed in the legislation. Davis, on behalf of the Stop Patent Abuse Now (SPAN) Coalition, supports a “catch-all” provision, saying, “If certain behavior is not mentioned [in the list], courts will read it out.” He said the provision was necessary “so it's not limited to what is specifically mentioned.”
One of the main issues of debate involved a “catch-all” provision allowing the Federal Trade Commission and states to bring actions against patent troll activities not explicitly listed in the legislation. Davis, on behalf of the Stop Patent Abuse Now (SPAN) Coalition, supports a “catch-all” provision, saying, “If certain behavior is not mentioned [in the list], courts will read it out.” He said the provision was necessary “so it's not limited to what is specifically mentioned.”