Automated Transactions LLC, the Wilmington, Del., firm whichhas been suing banks and credit unions around the country allegingthat their ATMsviolate patents it holds, has received a significant legal setbackto its litigation.

A panel of judges charged with consolidating similar cases thatappear in different venues ruled this week that the AutomatedTransactions cases around the country are similar enough to warrantbeing included in one central case which will be heard in Delawareand before a court which has ruled against Automated Transactionsin the past.

“This is a huge win for my clients,” said Robert Stier, partnerand senior trial lawyer at the Portland, Maine, office of PierceAtwood LLC. “So long as the troll could divide and conquer, bankswere at a disadvantage. Today's ruling is a game-changer because itunites the banks against their common enemy.”

The lawsuits will now be heard by U.S. District Judge SueRobinson, a Delaware jurist experienced with patent cases whopreviously invalidated one of Automated Transactions' basicpatents.

Stier noted that there are potentially 28 cases pending in 10judicial districts that will be affected by Monday's ruling.

Stier carefully avoided predicting what the court would do next,but said he anticipated the court would rule first on what exactlythe patents claims covered and that, in turn, would indicatewhether those patents covered ATMs or not, a claim he franklydoubted.

“None of these ATMs can be used to buy airline tickets or sendflowers, so my clients don't need a license under the patents. Butthey're still threatened with expensive patent litigation if theydon't pay,” Stier said.

“Unless they join together, it's very, very expensive to standup for their rights. Of course, the troll knows this, and untilnow, it has managed to intimidate more than 140 banks intosettling,” he said.