For the first time in years, intellectual property cases contributed no billion-dollar jury verdicts in 2013. In fact, IP recoveries decreased significantly both in number and in dollar amount when compared with 2012. The decrease in IP verdicts could reflect judges' interpretation of recent rulings by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit that make it harder to prove damages, according to plaintiff-side lawyers.
The number of new cases filed in federal appellate courts nationwide, excluding the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, decreased by 1.8 percent in 2013, according to new data the judiciary released Tuesday.