Magistrate Judge Christopher J. Burke recently denied two co-pending motions to transfer venue to the Northern District of California. Applying the Third Circuit’s Jumara factors in considering whether all relevant factors strongly favored transfer, Judge Burke found that transfer was not warranted. Tessera, Inc., et al. v. Broadcom Corp., C.A. No. 16-379-LPS-CJB, Memo. Op. at 25-26 (D. Del. Mar. 21, 2017).
The plaintiffs’ principal place of business was in the Northern District of California, and the defendants also had significant operations in the Northern District of California, but the plaintiffs were incorporated in Delaware, weighing against transfer. Id. at 7-10. Judge Burke also explained that it was difficult to assess “where the alleged infringement has occurred” because of uncertainty as to the relevant facts and the parties’ unclear submissions on this point. Accordingly, this factor only slightly favored transfer. Id. at 11-14. The convenience of the parties, the convenience of the witnesses, the location of books and records, and practical considerations that could make the trial easy, expeditious, or inexpensive weighed slightly in favor of transfer. All other Jumara factors were neutral. Id. at 14-25.
Judge Burke concluded that “This is, as Broadcom notes, a ‘dispute between California entities.’ And in balancing the Jumara factors, the Court acknowledges that Broadcom has pointed to a number of connections between the Northern District of California and the facts or people involved in this case. This has, in tum, resulted in a greater number of Jumara factors tipping Broadcom’s way, as opposed to Plaintiffs’ way. And yet a close examination of most of the factors favoring Broadcom shows that they do not have much of a practical impact. Had Broadcom been able to make a stronger showing even as to any one of the factors that only slightly tipped in its favor, the outcome may have been different. . . . But Broadcom did not make any such showing. As a result, any inconvenience it faces in trying the case in this District does not seem pronounced. After careful review, the Court is prepared to say that the balance of convenience is in favor of Broadcom. But it cannot conclude that this balance ‘is strongly in favor of’ Broadcom.” Id. at 26.
The case also presented an interesting procedural issue. Judge Burke’s decision addressed two separate civil actions, each of which involved a motion to transfer, which the parties agreed should be resolved together. One civil action, however, was stayed pending an ITC investigation, while the other action was not stayed. As Judge Burke pointed out, the “parties to the action agree that it is proper for the Court to resolve the transfer of venue issue in [the stayed case], even while this stay is pending, and they have cited to case law in support. The Court agrees with the logic set out in the cited cases, and, as a result, will proceed to address the Motions in both cases.” Id. at 5 n.3 (citations omitted).
Tessera, Inc., et al. v. Broadcom Corp., C.A. No. 16-379-LPS-CJB (D. Del. Mar. 21, 2017).
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