Fish & Richardson Holds Winning Hand in Bridge Anti-Cheating Software Case

Fish & Richardson has secured a complete victory for The EDGAR Association in a patent dispute that threatened the organization’s ability to promote fair play in competitive bridge. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia granted Fish’s motion for judgment on the pleadings, invalidating two patents asserted by Hammond Software, Inc.

The EDGAR Association developed the EDGAR Toolkit, a system that analyzes competitive bridge play and detects unusual play patterns that are indicative of cheating. The organization works closely with the American Contract Bridge League to help ensure integrity and fairness in their online games.

The two patents asserted by Hammond Software claimed methods for detecting cheating in contract bridge. The court’s decision followed a 2.5-hour hearing in May 2025, during which Fish Principal Katherine Reardon argued the 35 U.S.C. § 101 motion. On September 11, 2025, U.S. District Court Judge Tiffany Johnson issued a detailed opinion holding both patents invalid under the Supreme Court’s Alice framework.

“This is a meaningful win for our client,” said Fish Principal Louis Fogel. “The decision ensures that The EDGAR Association can continue using its innovative tools to promote fair competition in the game of bridge.”

In addition to Fogel and Reardon, Associate Autumn Wu contributed to the case.