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## Judge Alan D. Albright – Departure from Western District of Texas (2026) ### Overview U.S. District Judge Alan D. Albright of the Western District of Texas is departing the federal bench by the end of August 2026, according to reporting by Bloomberg Law (IPWatchdog, April 29). He announced he will leave the bench by that date (IPWatchdog, April 29). His departure marks the end of a tenure that made the Western District of Texas—specifically the Waco Division—one of the most significant patent litigation venues in the United States. ### Background Nominated to the federal judiciary during the first Trump Administration, Judge Albright was confirmed and took the bench in 2018. He developed a national reputation as a **patent-friendly jurist** who attracted a disproportionate share of U.S. patent litigation to the Waco division of the Western District of Texas (IPWatchdog, April 29). He rapidly distinguished himself by actively courting patent cases to his Waco courtroom, implementing procedures that attracted both plaintiff and defendant patent litigants (IPWatchdog, April 29). ### Reputation and Impact on Patent Litigation - Albright reportedly earned a reputation for **thoughtfulness and fairness** in patent law from both plaintiff- and defendant-side practitioners (IPWatchdog, April 29). - His approach to patent cases, including scheduling, claim construction, and jury trials, made the Western District of Texas the dominant venue for patent infringement suits. - Waco became a top patent venue nationally under Albright, rivaling and at times surpassing the Eastern District of Texas. - Albright implemented early case management, technical tutorials, and Markman hearing practices tailored to complex patent disputes. - His approach reportedly "cut a courageous pathway through patent law" (IPWatchdog, April 29). - His tenure created controversy in Congress regarding venue concentration (IPWatchdog, April 29). ### Controversy - Congressional critics raised concerns about forum shopping and the concentration of patent cases in a single judge's docket. - The Federal Circuit periodically issued mandamus orders transferring cases out of Waco, tempering but not eliminating the venue's dominance. ### Forward-Looking Implications / Strategic Implications for Litigants - His departure will likely **redistribute patent filings** away from Waco to other venues including Delaware and the Eastern District of Texas. - Patent plaintiffs who relied on Waco as a preferred venue will need to reassess filing strategies post-Albright. - The identity of Albright's successor will be critical; a less patent-litigation-focused replacement could cause rapid redistribution of filings to other venues (e.g., Delaware, Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Texas - Austin). - Plaintiffs and defendants with pending cases in the Western District face uncertainty about successor judge assignments and procedural continuity; pending cases in Albright's docket face potential reassignment or scheduling disruption. - The departure is relevant to the broader narrative of **patent venue shopping** and the structural advantage of patent holders under the current enforcement landscape (IPWatchdog, April 29). ### What to Watch - Successor judge appointment and that judge's posture toward patent cases. - Whether Waco retains any structural advantages (local rules, case management orders) after Albright's departure. - Impact on ongoing high-stakes patent disputes currently assigned to Albright.