When can defendants be joined?
For actions covered by section 299, joinder requires the specified transaction-or-occurrence connection involving the same accused product or process and common questions of fact. Allegations that defendants infringed the same patent are insufficient by themselves. The statute excepts actions alleging infringement under section 271(e)(2), and an accused infringer may waive section 299's limitations. Check each defendant's product and conduct instead of treating a campaign label as a joinder rule.
How should the evidence be organized?
Maintain a defendant-by-defendant record of patents, claims, products, service, and deadlines. Rule 11's reasonable-inquiry obligation applies to the allegations actually made. Shared technical material may be useful, but do not carry a product-specific assertion into another complaint without support.
What should settlement planning address?
For each proposed agreement, identify covered parties, customer and supplier protection, patents, product versions, and treatment of the remaining suits. These are drafting questions rather than a rule that one settlement automatically resolves the rest. Follow each court's schedule and dismissal requirements.