Conair LLC v. Yiwu Kemei Electric Appliance Co., Ltd.
1:26-cv-11916
Overview
Case Number
1:26-cv-11916
Filing Date
2026-09-29
Status
Litigation filed
Court
District Court, N.D. Illinois
Nature of Suit
830 Patent
Parties
Defendant
Plaintiff
Court & Judges
Court
District Court, N.D. Illinois
Presiding Judge
Lashonda A. Hunt
Patents Involved
No asserted patent numbers detected in initial docket filings yet.
Docket Entries
ORDER by the Honorable Georgia N. Alexakis on 9/29/2026: Plaintiff Conair LLC, Defendant Yiwu Kemei Electric Appliance Co. ("Yiwu Kemei"), and Defendant Yiwu Caitong Electric Co., Ltd. ("Yiwu Caitong") jointly move to sever Defendant Yiwu Kemei and the claims against it pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 21. The Court grants the parties' amended motion to sever 32. The Court denies the original motion to sever filed by Plaintiff and Defendant Yiwu Kemei 30 as moot. Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 20(b), joinder of multiple defendants is only permitted where "any right to relief is asserted against them jointly, severally, or in the alternative with respect to or arising out of the same transaction, occurrence, or series of transactions or occurrences." See also 35 U.S.C. § 299. Here, Plaintiff Conair LLC, Defendant Yiwu Kemei, and Defendant Yiwu Caitong agree that this requirement is not satisfied and, as a result, that Defendant Yiwu Kemei and Defendant Yiwu Caitong have been improperly joined. Defendant Yiwu Caitong (the second-named defendant in this action) and the claims against it therefore will be severed into a separate action. See Lee v. Cook Cnty., Ill., 635 F.3d 969, 971 (7th Cir. 2011) ("When a federal civil action is severed, it is not dismissed. Instead, the clerk of court creates multiple docket numbers for the action already on file, and the severed claims proceed as if suits had been filed separately."). The Clerk of the Court is directed to provide a new case number for the newly severed action and assign that case to a judge pursuant to the District Court's operating procedures. The Court further directs the Clerk to use the instant Order as the initiating document in the newly created case and to file the instant case's complaint and accompanying exhibit 1, 2 as document numbers 2 and 3 in the newly created case. No filing fees should be assessed for the new case. Plaintiff is directed to file an amended complaint in this case containing only its claims against Defendant Yiwu Kemei. Mailed notice. (emc, ) (Entered: 09/29/2026)
2026-09-29
1
COMPLAINT filed by Conair LLC; Jury Demand. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet) (emc, ) (Entered: 09/29/2026)
2026-09-29
1
EXHIBIT A to Complaint by Conair LLC (emc, ) (Entered: 09/29/2026)
2026-09-29
1
MAILED patent report to Patent Trademark Office, Alexandria VA (emc, ) (Entered: 09/29/2026)
2026-09-29
1