2025 EDVA Commercial Litigation Roundup

Key Takeaways:

• In 2025, the Eastern District of Virginia ("EDVA") remained one of the fastest federal trial courts in the country while simultaneously handling some of the most complex civil litigation nationwide.
• The docket featured significant developments in antitrust, intellectual property, and other high-stakes commercial disputes.
• Litigating in the EDVA requires counsel who understand both the substantive law and the District's unique procedural expectations and pace.

The EDVA has long been known as the "Rocket Docket," and 2025 reinforced its reputation for speed. The Court had the shortest median time from filing to disposition of civil trials of any federal district court in the nation, at just 11.9 months.¹ Weekly hearings on non-dispositive motions, limited continuances, and active case management drive this efficiency. This speed does not reflect simplicity. To the contrary, the Court continued to serve as a major hub for complex commercial litigation, with substantial activity across antitrust, intellectual property, and other high-stakes business disputes.

Antitrust litigation was a defining feature of the EDVA's—and particularly the Alexandria Division's—2025 docket. Most notably, in the Department of Justice's ad-tech case against Google, the Court found Google to be a monopolist, with remedies proceedings now underway.² The Court also consolidated major antitrust actions against Zillow and Redfin, combining an FTC enforcement action with a suit brought by multiple state attorneys general,³ and denied a motion to dismiss in a sprawling shipbuilding antitrust case that involves allegations that shipbuilders and consultants conspired to suppress wages.⁴ Taken together, these matters underscore the EDVA's growing appeal to regulators and private plaintiffs, driven by speed, proximity to Washington, and a demonstrated willingness to engage with complex antitrust theories.

Intellectual property disputes also generated some important decisions. Patent cases are randomly assigned across the District, and they are litigated under the Court's general local rules. In a notable venue decision, the Court held that a defendant's use of cloud servers located in Virginia, without more, was insufficient to establish venue for patent infringement, providing important guidance for both technology companies and patent plaintiffs.⁵ In another significant case, the Court scrutinized the conduct of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO"), finding that the Director acted arbitrarily and capriciously in treating distinct grounds for ex parte reexamination as equivalent.⁶ That decision represents a meaningful development for parties challenging USPTO decisions and highlights the EDVA's growing role in administrative and patent litigation.

Beyond antitrust and intellectual property, the EDVA's commercial docket included high-profile class action litigation. In November 2025, the Court rejected a proposed $425 million settlement in litigation involving Capital One's 360 Savings accounts, concluding that the proposed relief was insufficient given the alleged conduct.⁷ For practitioners, the decision is a reminder that even large, negotiated resolutions will be subject to careful judicial scrutiny in the EDVA.

The EDVA has a reputation for speed, sophistication, and rigor, and 2025 was no exception. Its commercial and commercial-adjacent docket has continued to develop, particularly in highly regulated areas such as antitrust and intellectual property. For companies facing sophisticated disputes, the EDVA remains an especially consequential—and often attractive—forum. At the same time, the District's unique pace and practices require careful planning. Preparation and deep familiarity with the Court's procedural expectations and local practices remain paramount.

Baker Botts has a practice group dedicated to handling matters in the EDVA. Led by Cailyn Reilly Knapp, who clerked in the EDVA for four years and is President Elect of the Federal Bar Association's Northern Virginia Chapter, our team has the experience necessary to guide cases from start to finish. The team regularly counsels clients in EDVA on both sides of the "v" across a diverse range of industries. Please contact us to learn more.

Footnotes

1 U.S. Courts, Civil Statistical Tables for the Federal Judiciary, Table C-5: Median Time Intervals from Filing to Disposition of Civil Cases Terminated (June 30, 2025), https://www.uscourts.gov/data-news/data-tables/2025/06/30/statistical-tables-federal-judiciary/c-5.

2 United States v. Google LLC, No. 1:23-cv-00108, ECF No. 1410 (E.D. Va. Apr. 17, 2025) (Brinkema, J.).

3 FTC v. Zillow Grp., Inc. et al., No. 1:25-cv-01638, ECF. No. 44 (E.D. Va. Nov. 26, 2025) (Trenga, J.).

4 Scharpf, et al. v. Gen. Dynamics Corp., et al., No. 1:23-cv-01372, ECF No. 357 (E.D. Va. Nov. 26, 2025) (Trenga, J.).

5 Audio Pod IP, LLC v. Amazon.Com, Inc., et al., No. 3:24CV406, ECF No. 73 (E.D. Va. Mar. 3, 2025) (Young, J.).

6 BMW of North America, LLC, et al. v. Kathi Vidal, et al., No. 1:24-cv-235, ECF No. 63 (E.D. Va. Mar. 25, 2025) (Giles, J.).

7 In re: Capital One 360 Savings Account Interest Rate Litig., No. 1:24-md-03111 (E.D. Va. Nov. 6, 2025) (Novak, J.).

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.