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ericgoldman.bsky.social
Reuters: "Chicago judges are starting to push back against 'SAD' scheme in IP cases" #LFG #StopTheSADScheme
www.reuters.com/legal/litiga...
Stop Sign saying "Stop the SAD Scheme"
November 19, 2024 at 11:55 PM
ericgoldman.bsky.social
Blog Post: New York Judge Shuts Down a SAD Scheme TRO Request–CJB Global v. Schedule A Defendants #StopTheSADScheme

blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/202...
New York Judge Shuts Down a SAD Scheme TRO Request-CJB Global v. Schedule A Defendants - Technology & Marketing Law Blog
This SAD Scheme case ended up before Judge Buchwald, who shreds it. Judge Buchwald recaps the scheme’s fundamental corruptness: if all of plaintiff’s requested ex parte relief were to be granted, plai...
blog.ericgoldman.org
August 29, 2026 at 6:21 PM
ericgoldman.bsky.social
I recently presented an updated version of my "SAD Scheme" talk at Peking University School of Transnational Law (PKU) in Shenzhen, China. My slide deck: www.ericgoldman.org/Speeches/SAD...

#StopTheSADScheme
www.ericgoldman.org
June 30, 2025 at 8:17 PM
ericgoldman.bsky.social
In a blockbuster opinion, Judge Kness destroys the SAD Scheme, saying "the Schedule A mechanism should no longer be perpetuated in its present form" 🧵 1/18

blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/202...

[Personal note: the opinion cites my paper 15x ssrn.com/abstract=438... ]

#StopTheSADScheme
Judge Kness: the SAD Scheme "Should No Longer Be Perpetuated in Its Present Form"-Eicher Motors v. Schedule A Defendants - Technology & Marketing Law Blog
When I first encountered the SAD Scheme, I felt like Alice entering Wonderland. The scheme was so obviously whacked that I felt like I had tumbled into an upside-down jurisprudential world. I was sure...
blog.ericgoldman.org
August 11, 2025 at 2:22 PM
ericgoldman.bsky.social
Prof. @design-law.bsky.social provides a roundup of the top 10 SAD Scheme developments in 2025

blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/202...

#StopTheSADScheme
Schedule A: Ten Notable Developments in 2025 (Guest Blog Post) - Technology & Marketing Law Blog
By Sarah Fackrell, Professor of Law at Chicago-Kent College of Law It’s been a busy year on the Schedule A beat. In reflecting on the year, I’ve put together this quick round-up of ten of the top deve...
blog.ericgoldman.org
December 29, 2025 at 4:15 PM
ericgoldman.bsky.social
My new estimates re. Schedule A Defendants (SAD Scheme) cases:

* 7,700 total cases, 40% of those filed since 1/1/24 📈
* 1.5M SAD Scheme defendants
* $600M court filing fees not paid due to SAD Scheme
* 70% of cases are ™️ cases, 20% ©️, 10% patent
* 88% in N.D. Ill.

#StopTheSADScheme
Chart showing rise of SAD Scheme cases by year
June 10, 2025 at 3:47 PM
ericgoldman.bsky.social
Blog Post: Greer Burns Law Firm Sanctioned for “Willfully Abusive” and “Egregious” SAD Scheme Judge-Shopping #StopTheSADScheme

blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/202...
Greer Burns Law Firm Sanctioned for "Willfully Abusive" and "Egregious" SAD Scheme Judge-Shopping - Technology & Marketing Law Blog
Currently, the Northern District of Illinois judges do not apply consistent standards for SAD Scheme joinder. Some judges still permit the joinder of dozens or hundreds of seemingly unrelated defendan...
blog.ericgoldman.org
January 16, 2026 at 7:31 PM
ericgoldman.bsky.social
I presented an updated version of my SAD Scheme talk to a group of sophisticated IP practitioners. As usual, none of them had ever heard of it--but they were angry by the time I was done #StopTheSADScheme

Talk slides (new!): www.ericgoldman.org/Speeches/sad...
Paper: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
April 6, 2024 at 6:04 PM
ericgoldman.bsky.social
Blog Post: Another Judge Balks at SAD Scheme Joinder–Xie v. Annex A blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/202... #StopTheSADScheme
Another Judge Balks at SAD Scheme Joinder-Xie v. Annex A - Technology & Marketing Law Blog
[Note: the defendants in this case are enumerated on an “Annex A” instead of “Schedule A.” It’s a non-substantive difference in nomenclature, but it’s one of several reasons why I prefer the more gene...
blog.ericgoldman.org
November 17, 2024 at 3:04 PM
ericgoldman.bsky.social
Blog Post: Judge Rejects SAD Scheme Joinder–Toyota v. Schedule A Defendants
blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/202...
#StopTheSADScheme
Judge Rejects SAD Scheme Joinder-Toyota v. Schedule A Defendants - Technology & Marketing Law Blog
Toyota brought a SAD Scheme case against 103 defendants before Judge Daniel in the Northern District of Illinois. (Seriously, Toyota? Using abusive IP enforcement tactics? Do better). As I recently me...
blog.ericgoldman.org
November 25, 2024 at 7:04 PM
ericgoldman.bsky.social
Blog Post: Will Judges Become More Skeptical of Joinder in SAD Scheme Cases?–Dongguan Juyuan v. Schedule A #StopTheSADScheme

blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/202...
Will Judges Become More Skeptical of Joinder in SAD Scheme Cases?-Dongguan Juyuan v. Schedule A - Technology & Marketing Law Blog
[Like many of you, I am still trying to make sense of the election results. I’ll restart my normal blogging, but I’m having trouble focusing.] This is a design patent SAD Scheme case before Judge Jere...
blog.ericgoldman.org
November 8, 2024 at 3:06 PM
ericgoldman.bsky.social
Blog Post: Federal Circuit Rebuffs SAD Scheme Plaintiff–Shenzhen Jisu v. Annex A Defendants #StopTheSADScheme

blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/202...
Federal Circuit Rebuffs SAD Scheme Plaintiff-Shenzhen Jisu v. Annex A Defendants - Technology & Marketing Law Blog
Nomenclature note: This is an Annex A case, not a Schedule A case, but they are the same thing. Snarky note about design patents: This is a design patent case. I don’t mean any disrespect towards desi...
blog.ericgoldman.org
July 22, 2026 at 6:36 PM
ericgoldman.bsky.social
Luke Combs discovered that his enforcement team ruined a fan's life using the SAD Scheme bit.ly/3TnL5lq Combs is now trying to fix the damage, but he also should #StopTheSADScheme entirely
December 13, 2023 at 11:37 PM
ericgoldman.bsky.social
Blog Post: Court Rebuffs Emojico’s SAD Scheme TRO Request
#trademark #StopTheSADScheme

blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/202...
Court Rebuffs Emojico's SAD Scheme TRO Request - Technology & Marketing Law Blog
This is a very recent Emojico SAD Scheme enforcement (filed last week). I’ve blogged a few Emojico cases before (see the link list below). Indeed, my interest in the SAD Scheme started with an Emojico...
blog.ericgoldman.org
July 1, 2026 at 3:37 PM
ericgoldman.bsky.social
"The whole point of the [SAD Scheme] is to bypass multiple due process checks in our system to reach conclusions that don't comply with due process. Due process is being systematically undervalued in our society, & I think we're worse off for it" #StopTheSADScheme

www.law.com/2026/06/02/f...
'Far-Reaching Implications': Hague Service Convention Bans Email Process Service to Chinese Defendants, Seventh Circuit Rules | Law.com
"It ... means that many thousands of cases were wrongly decided, and default judgments were wrongly entered," said defendant-appellant counsel Wesley Johnson of Cross-Border Counselor.
www.law.com
June 4, 2026 at 6:11 PM
ericgoldman.bsky.social
Cross-Post: Court Rejects Schedule A Claims Against Sellers of Compatible Parts/Accessories

blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/202...

by @rtushnet.bsky.social

#StopTheSADScheme
Court Rejects Schedule A Claims Against Sellers of Compatible Parts/Accessories (Cross-Post) - Technology & Marketing Law Blog
[Cross posted with permission from Prof. Rebecca Tushnet’s Blog.] When they tell you that Schedule A cases are against counterfeiters, keep in mind that trademark owners are willing to call pretty muc...
blog.ericgoldman.org
August 24, 2025 at 2:15 PM
ericgoldman.bsky.social
Luke Combs' IP enforcement team devastated a fan using the SAD Scheme bit.ly/3TnL5lq

The judgment looks virtually identical to countless other generic SAD Scheme default orders bit.ly/47UNJU9

My paper explaining the SAD Scheme bit.ly/3mCEful
#StopTheSADScheme
December 14, 2023 at 1:40 PM
ericgoldman.bsky.social
Vice covers a merchant group's unexpected victory over Smiley's SAD Scheme lawsuit 🙃 www.vice.com/en/article/5... #StopTheSADScheme
The Etsy Sellers Getting Sued for Using a Smiley Face
When hundreds of people got hit by The Smiley Company for using its trademark, they decided to band together and fight back.
www.vice.com
January 25, 2024 at 2:15 PM
ericgoldman.bsky.social
Blog Post: Every SAD Scheme Opinion Is Weird In Its Own Way–Cai v. Chaozhoushi Yitong Dianzi Shangwu Youxiangongsi #StopTheSADScheme

blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/202...
Every SAD Scheme Opinion Is Weird In Its Own Way-Cai v. Chaozhoushi Yitong Dianzi Shangwu Youxiangongsi - Technology & Marketing Law Blog
This case generally follows the SAD Scheme template, but with several twists: it’s in the Western District of Texas, not the more typical N.D. Ill. it’s a copyright claim rather than the more typical ...
blog.ericgoldman.org
August 12, 2026 at 7:22 PM
ericgoldman.bsky.social
Blog Post: SAD Scheme-Style Case Falls Apart When the Defendant Appears in Court—King Spider v. Pandabuy

blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/202...

#StopTheSADScheme
SAD Scheme-Style Case Falls Apart When the Defendant Appears in Court—King Spider v. Pandabuy - Technology & Marketing Law Blog
The parties’ names make this case sound more like a Hollywood blockbuster movie than a SAD Scheme-like case. This suit isn’t a classic SAD Scheme case because the plaintiffs went after the marketplace...
blog.ericgoldman.org
April 11, 2025 at 8:44 PM
ericgoldman.bsky.social
Blog Post: A Judge Enumerates a SAD Scheme Plaintiff’s Multiple Abuses, But Still Won’t Award Sanctions–Jiangsu Huari Webbing Leather v. Schedule A Defendants bit.ly/3vvoMjP #StopTheSADScheme
A Judge Enumerates a SAD Scheme Plaintiff's Multiple Abuses, But Still Won't Award Sanctions-Jiangsu...
This is a SAD Scheme case. The plaintiff, Jiangsu Huari Webbing Leather, owns U.S. Patent No. 11,478,673 for an outdoor exercise product (“a rectangular-shaped buckle-and-belt mechanism, embodied in...
bit.ly
January 4, 2024 at 8:07 PM
ericgoldman.bsky.social
Blog Post: Court Wipes Out SAD Scheme Default Judgment Due to Improper Email Service–Deckers v. Litfun #StopTheSADScheme

blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/202...
Court Wipes Out SAD Scheme Default Judgment Due to Improper Email Service-Deckers v. Litfun - Technology & Marketing Law Blog
Deckers owns the UGG brand. It is a repeat SAD Scheme plaintiff. In this case, it sued 30 defendants for infringement, got permission to serve the lawsuit by email, and got default judgments against 1...
blog.ericgoldman.org
September 22, 2026 at 3:44 PM
ericgoldman.bsky.social
Blog Post: SAD Scheme Plaintiff Must Pay $40k to Defendant–Guangzhou Tinpod v. Schedule A Defendants #StopTheSADScheme

blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/202...
SAD Scheme Plaintiff Must Pay $40k to Defendant-Guangzhou Tinpod v. Schedule A Defendants - Technology & Marketing Law Blog
The plaintiff is Guangzhou Tinpod Electronic Technology Co. The plaintiff initially sued under the XYZ pseudonym and hasn’t updated the case caption, even though its identity is no longer sealed. I pr...
blog.ericgoldman.org
September 7, 2026 at 6:08 PM
ericgoldman.bsky.social
Blog Post: Seventh Circuit Limits Email Service to Chinese SAD Scheme Defendants–Kangol v. Hangzhou Silk

#StopTheSADScheme

blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/202...
Seventh Circuit Limits Email Service to Chinese SAD Scheme Defendants-Kangol v. Hangzhou Silk - Technology & Marketing Law Blog
There have been thousands of SAD Scheme cases in the Northern District of Illinois, but this extensive litigation activity has produced only a small handful of Seventh Circuit opinions. This lack of a...
blog.ericgoldman.org
May 31, 2026 at 4:32 PM
ericgoldman.bsky.social
Blog Post: SAD Scheme Defendant Gets Damages Payout from the Bond–Bright Head v. Schedule A Defendants #StopTheSADScheme

blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/202...
May 8, 2026 at 1:59 PM