Palo Alto Networks, Inc. v. Qomplx LLC
Patent Trial and Appeal Board
Holding
The Board granted Palo Alto Networks' unopposed motion under 35 U.S.C. § 315(c) and 37 C.F.R. § 42.122 to join the instituted Microsoft v. Qomplx IPR2026-00325 on the '627 patent. The petition and expert declaration were substantively identical to Microsoft's, no new grounds were raised, and joinder would not affect the schedule, so joinder promotes efficiency. Palo Alto is limited to an understudy role while Microsoft remains a party. No prior Board decision was reversed or affirmed.
Why It Matters
A copycat petition filed with a joinder motion within one month of institution, identical to the instituted petition and with the petitioner accepting a silent understudy role, is readily joined without opposition. The Board conditions joinder on strict limits on the joined party's independent participation.
How this summary was made: Drafted with AI from the Board's or the Director's decision; before publishing, code checked that the quotation and the citations it gives appear in that document. Editorial policy
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