Notice2026-11459
Certain Pickleball Paddles; Notice of Institution of Investigation
Primary source
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Published
June 8, 2026
Issuing agencies
International Trade Commission
Abstract
Notice is hereby given that a complaint was filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission on April 7, 2026, under section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, on behalf of Sport Squad, Inc. d/b/a JOOLA of North Bethesda, Maryland. An amended complaint was filed on April 17, 2026. A supplement to the amended complaint was filed on May 19, 2026. The amended complaint, as supplemented, alleges violations of section 337 based upon the importation into the United States, the sale for importation, and the sale within the United States after importation of certain pickleball paddles by reason of the infringement of certain claims of U.S. Patent No. 12,465,826 ("the '826 patent") and U.S. Patent No. 12,357,891 ("the '891 patent"). The amended complaint, as supplemented, further alleges that an industry in the United States exists or is in the process of being established, as required by the applicable Federal Statute. The complainant requests that the Commission institute an investigation and, after the investigation, issue a limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 109 (Monday, June 8, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 109 (Monday, June 8, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34647-34648]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-11459]
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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
[Investigation No. 337-TA-1503]
Certain Pickleball Paddles; Notice of Institution of
Investigation
AGENCY: U.S. International Trade Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a complaint was filed with the
U.S. International Trade Commission on April 7, 2026, under section 337
of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, on behalf of Sport Squad, Inc.
d/b/a JOOLA of North Bethesda, Maryland. An amended complaint was filed
on April 17, 2026. A supplement to the amended complaint was filed on
May 19, 2026. The amended complaint, as
[[Page 34648]]
supplemented, alleges violations of section 337 based upon the
importation into the United States, the sale for importation, and the
sale within the United States after importation of certain pickleball
paddles by reason of the infringement of certain claims of U.S. Patent
No. 12,465,826 (``the '826 patent'') and U.S. Patent No. 12,357,891
(``the '891 patent''). The amended complaint, as supplemented, further
alleges that an industry in the United States exists or is in the
process of being established, as required by the applicable Federal
Statute. The complainant requests that the Commission institute an
investigation and, after the investigation, issue a limited exclusion
order and cease and desist orders.
ADDRESSES: The amended complaint, except for any confidential
information contained therein, may be viewed on the Commission's
electronic docket (EDIS) at <a href="https://edis.usitc.gov">https://edis.usitc.gov</a>. For help accessing
EDIS, please email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a2e7e6ebf191eac7ced2e2d7d1cbd6c18cc5cdd4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3d7879746e0e7558514d7d484e54495e135a524b">[email protected]</span></a>. Hearing impaired individuals
are advised that information on this matter can be obtained by
contacting the Commission's TDD terminal on (202) 205-1810. Persons
with mobility impairments who will need special assistance in gaining
access to the Commission should contact the Office of the Secretary at
(202) 205-2000. General information concerning the Commission may also
be obtained by accessing its internet server at <a href="https://www.usitc.gov">https://www.usitc.gov</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Orndoff, The Office of the
Secretary, Docket Services Division, U.S. International Trade
Commission, telephone (202) 205-1802.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority: The authority for institution of this investigation is
contained in section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, 19
U.S.C. 1337, and in section 210.10 of the Commission's Rules of
Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.10 (2025).
Scope of Investigation: Having considered the complaint, the U.S.
International Trade Commission, on June 4, 2026, ordered that--
(1) Pursuant to subsection (b) of section 337 of the Tariff Act of
1930, as amended, an investigation be instituted to determine whether
there is a violation of subsection (a)(1)(B) of section 337 in the
importation into the United States, the sale for importation, or the
sale within the United States after importation of certain products
identified in paragraph (2) by reason of infringement of one or more of
claims 1-16 and 18-20 of the '826 patent and claims 1-29 of the '891
patent, and whether an industry in the United States exists or is in
the process of being established as required by subsection (a)(2) of
section 337;
(2) Pursuant to section 210.10(b)(1) of the Commission's Rules of
Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.10(b)(1), the plain language
description of the accused products or category of accused products,
which defines the scope of the investigation, is ``pickleball paddles
with a core, comprised of foam or other material, and various filler
material(s)'';
(3) For the purpose of the investigation so instituted, the
following are hereby named as parties upon which this notice of
investigation shall be served:
(a) The complainant is: Sport Squad, Inc., d/b/a JOOLA, 915 Meeting
Street, North Bethesda, Maryland 20852.
(b) The respondents are the following entities alleged to be in
violation of section 337, and are the parties upon which the complaint
is to be served:
Franklin Sports, Inc., 17 Campanelli Parkway, Stoughton, Massachusetts
02072
Proton Sports, Inc., 9048 East Bahia Drive, Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
Proton Pickleball, Inc., 9048 East Bahia Drive, Scottsdale, Arizona
85260
Vegas Pickleball LLC d/b/a RPM Pickleball, 1075 Anchor Point, Delray
Beach, Florida 33444
Engage Pickleball, LLC, 4095 County Road 106, Oxford, Florida 34484
Engage Sporting, LLC, 4095 County Road 106, Oxford, Florida 34484
Friday Labs, LLC, 117 Bartlett Street, San Francisco, California 94110
Diadem Sports LLC, 200 Park Central Boulevard South, Suite 1, Pompano
Beach, Florida 33064
Facolospickleball LLC, 1500 North Grant Street, Suite R, Denver,
Colorado 80203
Facolos Sports Joint Stock Company, 18 Vu Trong Phung, Thanh Xuan Trung
Ward, Ha Noi, Vietnam
Paddletek, LLC, 1990 South 11th Street, Suite 44, Niles, Michigan 49120
Paddletek Pickleball, LLC, 850 New Burton Road, Suite 201, Dover, DE
19904
ProXR, LLC, 615 South Bishop Avenue, Suite F, Rolla, Missouri 65401
ProXR Pickleball, LLC, 850 New Burton Road, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19904
Thirty-Five Capital LLC, 911 West Randolph Street, 2nd Floor, Chicago,
IL 60607
United Pickleball Properties, LLC, 850 New Burton Road, Suite 201,
Dover, DE 19904
UPP Paddles, LLC, 850 New Burton Road, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19904
All Racquet Sports, LLC, 251 Little Falls Drive, Wilmington, Delaware
19808
All For Padel S.L., Avenue del Tranvia 20, Alcorc[oacute]n, Spain 28925
Volair C Corp., Inc., 3005 South Lamar Boulevard, Suite 109D, Austin,
Texas 78704
(4) For the investigation so instituted, the Chief Administrative
Law Judge, U.S. International Trade Commission, shall designate the
presiding Administrative Law Judge.
The Office of Unfair Import Investigations will not participate as
a party in this investigation.
Responses to the amended complaint and the notice of investigation
must be submitted by the named respondent in accordance with section
210.13 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR
210.13. Pursuant to 19 CFR 201.16(e) and 210.13(a), such responses will
be considered by the Commission if received not later than 20 days
after the date of service by the Commission of the amended complaint
and the notice of investigation. Extensions of time for submitting
responses to the amended complaint and the notice of investigation will
not be granted unless good cause therefor is shown.
Failure of a respondent to file a timely response to each
allegation in the complaint and in this notice may be deemed to
constitute a waiver of the right to appear and contest the allegations
of the complaint and this notice, and to authorize the administrative
law judge and the Commission, without further notice to the respondent,
to find the facts to be as alleged in the complaint and this notice and
to enter an initial determination and a final determination containing
such findings, and may result in the issuance of an exclusion order or
a cease and desist order or both directed against the respondent.
By order of the Commission.
Issued: June 4, 2026.
Lisa Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2026-11459 Filed 6-5-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P
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