{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/59.1-215.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/59.1-215.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/59.1-215.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/59.1-215.1.html"}],"law_id":69828,"edition_id":1,"section_id":69828,"structure_id":16044,"section_number":"59.1-215.1","catch_line":"Definitions","history":"2014, cc. 810, 819.","full_text":"As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“Assertion of patent infringement” means (i) sending or delivering a demand letter to a target; (ii) threatening a target with litigation asserting, alleging, or claiming that the target has engaged in patent infringement; (iii) sending or delivering a demand letter to the customers of a target; or (iv) otherwise making claims or allegations, other than those made in litigation against a target, that a target has engaged in patent infringement or that a target should obtain a license to a patent in order to avoid litigation.\n\t\t“Demand letter” means a letter, email, or other communication asserting, alleging, or claiming that the target has engaged in patent infringement, or that a target should obtain a license to a patent in order to avoid litigation, or any similar assertion.\n\t\t“Patent infringement” means any conduct that constitutes infringement pursuant to applicable law, including 35 U.S.C. \u00a7 271, as amended.\n\t\t“Target” means a person residing in, conducting substantial business in, or having its principal place of business in the Commonwealth and with respect to whom an assertion of patent infringement is made.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":252375,"text":"As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“Assertion of patent infringement” means (i) sending or delivering a demand letter to a target; (ii) threatening a target with litigation asserting, alleging, or claiming that the target has engaged in patent infringement; (iii) sending or delivering a demand letter to the customers of a target; or (iv) otherwise making claims or allegations, other than those made in litigation against a target, that a target has engaged in patent infringement or that a target should obtain a license to a patent in order to avoid litigation.\n\t\t“Demand letter” means a letter, email, or other communication asserting, alleging, or claiming that the target has engaged in patent infringement, or that a target should obtain a license to a patent in order to avoid litigation, or any similar assertion.\n\t\t“Patent infringement” means any conduct that constitutes infringement pursuant to applicable law, including 35 U.S.C. \u00a7 271, as amended.\n\t\t“Target” means a person residing in, conducting substantial business in, or having its principal place of business in the Commonwealth and with respect to whom an assertion of patent infringement is made.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":16044,"edition_id":1,"name":"Bad Faith Assertions of Patent Infringement","identifier":"18.1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12809,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:04:34","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:04:34","permalink":{"id":260091,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":16044,"identifier":"18.1","token":"59.1\/18.1","url":"\/59.1\/18.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12809,"edition_id":1,"name":"Trade and Commerce","identifier":"59.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","permalink":{"id":259521,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12809,"identifier":"59.1","token":"59.1","url":"\/59.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":69828,"structure_id":16044,"section_number":"59.1-215.1","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/59.1-215.1\/","token":"59.1\/18.1\/59.1-215.1","metadata":false},{"id":72322,"structure_id":16044,"section_number":"59.1-215.2","catch_line":"Bad faith assertions of patent infringement","url":"\/59.1-215.2\/","token":"59.1\/18.1\/59.1-215.2","metadata":false},{"id":65678,"structure_id":16044,"section_number":"59.1-215.3","catch_line":"Enforcement; 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This law was first created in 2014. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 810<\/a> and 819<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":260093,"object_type":"law","relational_id":69828,"identifier":"59.1-215.1","token":"59.1\/18.1\/59.1-215.1","url":"\/59.1-215.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/59.1-215.1\/","token":"59.1\/18.1\/59.1-215.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Definitions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 59.1-215.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“Assertion of patent infringement<\/span>” means (i) sending or delivering a demand letter<\/span> to a target<\/span>; (ii) threatening a target<\/span> with litigation<\/span> asserting, alleging, or claiming that the target<\/span> has engaged in patent infringement; (iii) sending or delivering a demand letter<\/span> to the customers of a target<\/span>; or (iv) otherwise making claims or allegations<\/span>, other than those made in litigation<\/span> against a target<\/span>, that a target<\/span> has engaged in patent infringement or that a target<\/span> should obtain a license to a patent in order<\/span> to avoid litigation<\/span>.\n\t\t“Demand letter<\/span>” means a letter, email, or other communication asserting, alleging, or claiming that the target<\/span> has engaged in patent infringement, or that a target<\/span> should obtain a license to a patent in order<\/span> to avoid litigation<\/span>, or any similar assertion.\n\t\t“Patent infringement” means any conduct that constitutes infringement pursuant to applicable law<\/span>, including 35 U.S.C. \u00a7 271, as amended.\n\t\t“Target<\/span>” means a person residing in, conducting substantial business in, or having its principal place of business in the Commonwealth and with respect to whom an assertion of patent infringement<\/span> is made.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDEFINITIONS (\u00a7 59.1-215.1)\n\nAs used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“Assertion of patent infringement” means (i) sending or delivering\na demand letter to a target; (ii) threatening a target with litigation\nasserting, alleging, or claiming that the target has engaged in patent\ninfringement; (iii) sending or delivering a demand letter to the customers of a\ntarget; or (iv) otherwise making claims or allegations, other than those made in\nlitigation against a target, that a target has engaged in patent infringement or\nthat a target should obtain a license to a patent in order to avoid litigation.\n\t\t“Demand letter” means a letter, email, or other communication\nasserting, alleging, or claiming that the target has engaged in patent\ninfringement, or that a target should obtain a license to a patent in order to\navoid litigation, or any similar assertion.\n\t\t“Patent infringement” means any conduct that constitutes\ninfringement pursuant to applicable law, including 35 U.S.C. \u00a7 271, as amended.\n\t\t“Target” means a person residing in, conducting substantial\nbusiness in, or having its principal place of business in the Commonwealth and\nwith respect to whom an assertion of patent infringement is made.\n\nHISTORY: 2014, cc. 810, 819.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}