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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>69828</law_id><section_number>59.1-215.1</section_number><catch_line>Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="59.1">Trade and Commerce</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="18.1">Bad Faith Assertions of Patent Infringement</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Assertion of patent infringement</span>&#x201D; means (i) sending or delivering a <span class="dictionary">demand letter</span> to a <span class="dictionary">target</span>; (ii) threatening a <span class="dictionary">target</span> with <span class="dictionary">litigation</span> asserting, alleging, or claiming that the <span class="dictionary">target</span> has engaged in patent infringement; (iii) sending or delivering a <span class="dictionary">demand letter</span> to the customers of a <span class="dictionary">target</span>; or (iv) otherwise making claims or <span class="dictionary">allegations</span>, other than those made in <span class="dictionary">litigation</span> against a <span class="dictionary">target</span>, that a <span class="dictionary">target</span> has engaged in patent infringement or that a <span class="dictionary">target</span> should obtain a license to a patent in <span class="dictionary">order</span> to avoid <span class="dictionary">litigation</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Demand letter</span>&#x201D; means a letter, email, or other communication asserting, alleging, or claiming that the <span class="dictionary">target</span> has engaged in patent infringement, or that a <span class="dictionary">target</span> should obtain a license to a patent in <span class="dictionary">order</span> to avoid <span class="dictionary">litigation</span>, or any similar assertion.
		&#x201C;Patent infringement&#x201D; means any conduct that constitutes infringement pursuant to applicable <span class="dictionary">law</span>, including 35 U.S.C. &#xA7;&#xA0;271, as amended.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Target</span>&#x201D; 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 <span class="dictionary">assertion of patent infringement</span> is made.</p></section></text><history>2014, cc. 810, 819.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
