USPTO designates as precedential a decision waiving Director Review deadline and terminating proceeding under 'Hulu'

Light & Wonder, Inc. v. Evolution Malta Ltd., IPR2025-01072, Paper 30 (Director June 22, 2026) (precedential)

In this decision, the Director (1) waives the deadline for filing all requests for Director Review of decisions to 30 days; (2) finds that the filing deadline may be extended in exceptional circumstances and where the trial has not progressed meaningfully; and (3) applies Hulu, LLC v. Piranha Media Distribution, LLC, IPR2024-01252, Paper 27 (Director Apr. 17, 2025) (informative) to vacate institution and deny the petitions because the district court already had found the challenged claims invalid. The Director further explains exceptional circumstances warranting an additional extension may include: dismissal of all or substantially all claims in a co-pending litigation, findings of fact and conclusions of law that render all or substantially all challenged claims invalid, and a violation of a Sotera stipulation.

Learn more about precedential and informative decisions.