Canada Settles Staccato Cherry Patent Dispute With Nursery

The Canadian government reached a deal to resolve a contentious patent dispute over the Staccato cherry tree.

The parties entered a settlement agreement on Aug. 5 and expect to file for dismissal with prejudice by Sept. 15, according to the filing dated Aug. 11. The settlement comes months after US District Court for the Eastern District of Washington Judge Stanley A. Bastian reconsidered his 2023 ruling that invalidated US Plant Patent No. 20,551, saying he “committed clear error” based on incomplete and misleading evidence.

The case began in 2020 when the Canadian government sued Van Well Nursery Inc. and Monson ...