`571-272-7822
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` Paper No. 6
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` Entered: January 30, 2018
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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`____________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`____________
`
`APPLE, INC.,
`Petitioner,
`
`v.
`
`MEC RESOURCES, INC.,
`Patent Owner.
`____________
`
`Case IPR2018-00286
`Patent 6,137,390
`____________
`
`
`Before KALYAN K. DESHPANDE, TREVOR M. JEFFERSON, and
`ROBERT J. WEINSCHENK, Administrative Patent Judges.
`
`DESHPANDE, Administrative Patent Judge.
`
`
`Conduct of the Proceeding
`37 C.F.R. § 42.5
`
`
`
`
`
`Patent Owner Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe
`Ex. 2017, p. 1
`
`
`
`IPR2018-00286
`Patent 6,137,390
`
`
`The Board held a conference call with MEC Resources, Inc. (“Patent
`Owner”) and Apple, Inc. (“Petitioner”). A court reporter was also present on
`the conference call, and Patent Owner agrees to submit the transcript to the
`Board when it is available.
`Patent Owner requested authorization to file a motion to dismiss and a
`stay of the deadline for Patent Owner’s Preliminary Response. Patent
`Owner’s basis for these requests is Patent Owner’s alleged tribal sovereign
`immunity. Petitioner opposed, arguing that the issue of sovereign immunity
`has already been decided by the Board. Petitioner indicated, though, that if
`the Board authorized Patent Owner to file a motion to dismiss, Petitioner did
`not oppose a stay of the deadline for Patent Owner’s Preliminary Response.
`The Board determines that briefing on the issue of Patent Owner’s
`alleged tribal sovereign immunity from this proceeding is warranted.
`Accordingly, the Board authorized Patent Owner to file a motion to dismiss
`on the basis of tribal sovereign immunity of no more than 25 pages due by
`February 13, 2018. The Board also authorized Petitioner to file an
`opposition to the motion, also of no more than 25 pages due by February 27,
`2018. Petitioner will request a conference call with the Board and Patent
`Owner by February 16, 2018, if an extension of time or other relief is
`allegedly needed. Patent Owner is further authorized to file a reply to the
`Petitioner’s opposition of no more than 15 pages due by March 8, 2018.
`Evidence relevant to the tribal sovereign immunity issue may be filed as
`exhibits accompanying the papers.
`
`Patent Owner Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe
`Ex. 2017, p. 2
`
`
`
`IPR2018-00286
`Patent 6,137,390
`
`
`
`Accordingly, it is:
` ORDERED that Patent Owner is authorized to file a motion to dismiss
`in IPR2018-00286, to not exceed 25 pages, and is due on February 13, 2018;
` FURTHER ORDERED that Petitioner is authorized to file an
`opposition to Patent Owner’s motion to dismiss, to not exceed 25 pages, and
`is due on February 27, 2018;
` FURTHER ORDERED that Petitioner will request a conference call
`with the Board and Patent Owner by February 16, 2018 if any extension of
`time or other relief is allegedly needed;
` FURTHER ORDERED that Patent Owner is authorized to file a reply
`to Petitioner’s opposition, to not exceed 15 pages, and is due on March 8,
`2018; and
` FURTHER ORDERED that the deadline for Patent Owner’s
`Preliminary Response is stayed and will be due one month from the issuance
`of a decision on Patent Owner’s motion to dismiss.
`
`
`
`
`
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`Patent Owner Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe
`Ex. 2017, p. 3
`
`
`
`IPR2018-00286
`Patent 6,137,390
`
`FOR PETITIONER:
`David M. O’Dell
`Andrew S. Ehmke
`Gregory P. Huh
`HAYNES AND BOONE, LLP
`david.odell.ipr@haynesboone.com
`andy.ehmke.ipr@haynesboone.com
`gregory.huh.ipr@haynesboone.com
`
`
`FOR PATENT OWNER:
`
`Robert D. Katz
`KATZ PLLC
`rkatz@katzfirm.com
`
`Lewis E. Hudnell, III
`HUDNELL LAW GROUP P.C.
`lewis@hudnelllaw.com
`
`
`Patent Owner Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe
`Ex. 2017, p. 4
`
`