CLEAR Act

The CLEAR Act allows courts to pause patent infringement lawsuits against retailers and end users (like stores or businesses using products) when the product's manufacturer is also being sued for the same patent. To qualify, the retailer/end user must not make the product, agree to be bound by the manufacturer's case outcome, and waive certain defenses. Courts may require a bond if the manufacturer likely can't pay damages. This directly affects retailers and end users in patent disputes, reducing their legal exposure when the manufacturer is the primary defendant.