Crypto Open Patent Alliance v Craig Steven Wright

Crypto Open Patent Alliance v Craig Steven Wright

The court adopted a hybrid approach: parties willing to be bound by the outcome of the COPA trial on the identity issue will have their actions stayed, while others may participate in the preliminary issue at their own risk as to costs. The identity issue is to be defined broadly as whether Dr. Wright is the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto, i.e., the person who created Bitcoin in 2009. Directions were given for the conduct of the trial, including limited extension for witness statements, disclosure, and expert evidence timelines.

Parties
Claimant: CRYPTO OPEN PATENT ALLIANCE; Defendant: CRAIG STEVEN WRIGHT; Claimant: DR CRAIG STEVEN WRIGHT; Claimant: WRIGHT INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENTS LIMITED; Defendant: COINBASE GLOBAL, INC.; Defendant: CB PAYMENTS, LTD; Defendant: COINBASE EUROPE LIMITED; Defendant: COINBASE, INC.; Defendant: PAYWARD, INC.; Defendant: PAYWARD LTD; Defendant: PAYWARD VENTURES, INC.; Defendant: BTC CORE; Defendant: WLADIMIR JASPER VAN DER LAAN; Defendant: JONAS SCHNELLI; Defendant: PIETER WUILLE; Defendant: MARCO PATRICK FALKE; Defendant: SAMUEL DOBSON; Defendant: MICHAEL ROHAN FORD; Defendant: CORY FIELDS; Defendant: GEORGE MICHAEL DOMBROWSKI; Defendant: MATTHEW GREGORY CORALLO; Defendant: PETER TODD; Defendant: GREGORY FULTON MAXWELL; Defendant: ERIC LOMBROZO; Defendant: JOHN NEWBERY; Defendant: PETER JOHN BUSHNELL; Defendant: BLOCK, INC.; Defendant: SPIRAL BTC, INC.; Defendant: SQUAREUP EUROPE LTD; Defendant: BLOCKSTREAM CORPORATION INC.; Defendant: CHAINCODE LABS, INC; Defendant: COINBASE GLOBA INC.; Defendant: SQUAREUP INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
11 September 2024
Procedural Posture
Civil / Case Management Conference (cmc) and Directions
Outcome
Hybrid approach to case management adopted; preliminary issue to be tried; directions given; part of BTC Core Claim stayed, part proceeds to preliminary issue; extension of time for witness statements granted in part.
Legal Topics
Preliminary Issue, Identity Dispute, Case Management, Passing Off, Copyright, Costs Directions
Intellectual Property Civil Procedure Preliminary Issue Identity Dispute Case Management Passing Off Copyright Costs Directions

Case Brief

Summary, issues, holding and outcome

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Parties

CRYPTO OPEN PATENT ALLIANCE

Claimant

CRAIG STEVEN WRIGHT

Defendant

DR CRAIG STEVEN WRIGHT

Claimant

WRIGHT INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENTS LIMITED

Claimant

COINBASE GLOBAL, INC.

Defendant

CB PAYMENTS, LTD

Defendant

COINBASE EUROPE LIMITED

Defendant

COINBASE, INC.

Defendant

PAYWARD, INC.

Defendant

PAYWARD LTD

Defendant

PAYWARD VENTURES, INC.

Defendant

BTC CORE

Defendant

WLADIMIR JASPER VAN DER LAAN

Defendant

JONAS SCHNELLI

Defendant

PIETER WUILLE

Defendant

MARCO PATRICK FALKE

Defendant

SAMUEL DOBSON

Defendant

MICHAEL ROHAN FORD

Defendant

CORY FIELDS

Defendant

GEORGE MICHAEL DOMBROWSKI

Defendant

MATTHEW GREGORY CORALLO

Defendant

PETER TODD

Defendant

GREGORY FULTON MAXWELL

Defendant

ERIC LOMBROZO

Defendant

JOHN NEWBERY

Defendant

PETER JOHN BUSHNELL

Defendant

BLOCK, INC.

Defendant

SPIRAL BTC, INC.

Defendant

SQUAREUP EUROPE LTD

Defendant

BLOCKSTREAM CORPORATION INC.

Defendant

CHAINCODE LABS, INC

Defendant

COINBASE GLOBA INC.

Defendant

SQUAREUP INTERNATIONAL LIMITED

Defendant

Procedural Posture

Civil / Case Management Conference (cmc) and Directions

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether the identity issue (is Dr. Wright Satoshi Nakamoto) should be tried as a preliminary issue in all actions or stayed in some actions pending outcome in the COPA claim
  2. 2 How the identity issue should be defined for trial
  3. 3 What directions should be given for the conduct of the actions and participation of parties

Ratio Decidendi

The court adopted a hybrid approach: parties willing to be bound by the outcome of the COPA trial on the identity issue will have their actions stayed, while others may participate in the preliminary issue at their own risk as to costs. The identity issue is to be defined broadly as whether Dr. Wright is the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto, i.e., the person who created Bitcoin in 2009. Directions were given for the conduct of the trial, including limited extension for witness statements, disclosure, and expert evidence timelines.

Court Disposition

Hybrid approach to case management adopted; preliminary issue to be tried; directions given; part of BTC Core Claim stayed, part proceeds to preliminary issue; extension of time for witness statements granted in part.

Orders

  • Trial of preliminary issue in BTC Core Claim: whether Dr Wright is the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto
  • Stay of actions for parties undertaking to be bound by outcome of COPA trial