[sukuriant]

Maybe they're seeing so many patents they're starting to realize how many of those patents are just ... stupid?

When you're exposed to a field more (lots of cases kinda do that), you start to think more like a person in that field and suddenly previously non-obvious things are obvious!

[monochromatic]

Who, the jurors? It's unlikely any juror on this case has been a juror before in a patent case.

[wisty]

1) Predict that a new piece of technology will be used to solve a common problem (i.e. using a Facebook page as a resume).

2) Patent it.

3) ...

4) Sue EVERYONE.

5) Now any juror on a case will have an opinion on IP law.

[politician]

3) Wait till the patent has almost expired.

[politician]

Perhaps, but Tyler, Texas is not a large metropolitan area, so the chances that your neighbor served on the jury of a patent trial are higher given the propensity of lawyers to sue there.