ABC IP, LLC and Rare Breed Triggers, Inc. v. Star Development, LLC d/b/a Star Dev LLC and Sarah Stokes
Case Overview
- Case Name: ABC IP, LLC and Rare Breed Triggers, Inc. v. Star Development, LLC d/b/a Star Dev LLC and Sarah Stokes
- Court: U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona (Phoenix Division)
- Case Number: 2:26-cv-04939-KML
- Filing Date: July 14, 2026
- Plaintiffs: ABC IP, LLC and Rare Breed Triggers, Inc.
- Defendants: Star Development, LLC (d/b/a Star Dev LLC) and Sarah Stokes
- Nature of Action: Civil lawsuit alleging willful patent infringement with a demand for a jury trial.
Executive Summary
Plaintiffs ABC IP, LLC (the patent owner) and Rare Breed Triggers, Inc. (the exclusive licensee) have filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Wyoming-registered, Arizona-operating entity Star Development, LLC (d/b/a Star Dev LLC) and its owner, Sarah Stokes. The federal complaint alleges that the Defendants are actively marketing, advertising, and selling unauthorized products—specifically the “(3-Position) Disruptor” drop-in cassette trigger.
Plaintiffs contend that these products directly infringe upon their utility patent portfolio protecting “forced reset trigger” firearm engineering. Because the Defendants reportedly manufactured, promoted, and shipped these black cassette configurations while maintaining mechanical awareness of these legal protections, the Plaintiffs are charging them with willful infringement, opening the door for enhanced punitive damages.
The Technology in Dispute
The lawsuit centers on advanced firearm trigger engineering—specifically the mechanical transition from standard semi-automatic mechanisms to patented forced reset trigger (FRT) assemblies:
- Standard Semi-Automatic Trigger: Relies on a traditional disconnector mechanism. When a round is fired, the user must manually release rearward finger pressure on the trigger so the disconnector can hand the hammer back off to the main trigger sear before the firearm can be discharged again.
- Forced Reset Mechanism (The Patented Invention): Eliminates the necessity of traditional disconnector dependency during accelerated sequences. Instead, it utilizes specialized locking bars, cams, or lever systems cycled directly by the firearm’s reciprocating bolt carrier. This mechanically forces the trigger forward into its set reset position during the action cycle, allowing for an accelerated, highly efficient firing sequence without converting the firearm into an automatic weapon.
Breakdown of Infringement Claims
Patent Infringement (Counts I – V)
The complaint asserts that the drop-in cassette triggers marketed by Star Dev LLC infringe upon five distinct U.S. Patents owned by ABC IP, LLC:
| Count | Asserted Patent | Technical / Mechanical Focus of Claim |
| Count I | U.S. Patent No. 10,514,223 | Drop-in trigger housing framework containing a hammer-actuated reset and an internal spring-biased locking bar system. |
| Count II | U.S. Patent No. 11,724,003 | Multi-mode selection assembly enabling user switching between standard disconnector operations and locked forced-reset functions. |
| Count III | U.S. Patent No. 12,036,336 | Specialized multi-position safety selector mechanics that physically reposition internal disconnector components out of engagement paths. |
| Count IV | U.S. Patent No. 12,274,807 | Internal receiver box configuration optimizing safety selector cam faces to toggle between standard and forced-reset capabilities. |
| Count V | U.S. Patent No. 12,636,403 | Structural claim focusing on the physical interaction profiles between hammer hooks, trigger members, and safety selectors. |
Indirect, Contributory, and Willful Conduct
- Direct Infringement: The complaint states that because the Defendants market and distribute the Disruptor both as a standalone cassette package containing all internal mechanical profiles and pre-installed within receivers, their retail actions constitute direct infringement under 35 U.S.C. § 271(a).
- Contributory Infringement: Asserts that secondary component configurations sold by the Defendants—such as the specialized trigger housings or isolated linkage bars—hold no separate, commercially viable, non-infringing application.
- Willful Intent: Plaintiffs contend that the design copying and downstream commercial sales represent a bad-faith, intentional disregard of federal property rights.
Remedy & Relief Sought
The Plaintiffs claim severe, ongoing economic and computational market harm due to these unauthorized sales operations. They are requesting that the federal court grant the following relief:
- Injunctions: Execution of both preliminary and permanent injunctions to immediately halt Star Dev LLC, Sarah Stokes, and any connected digital entities from manufacturing, importing, selling, or promoting the black cassette trigger units.
- Damages: Full compensatory financial recovery to address the economic impact of the infringement, measured as complete lost retail profits or a calculated reasonable royalty structure, along with pre- and post-judgment interest.
- Punitive Multipliers: Asking the court to treble (triple) the final calculated damages under 35 U.S.C. § 284 due to the egregious and willful nature of the patent violations.
- Legal Fees: A declaration finding this lawsuit to be an “exceptional case” under federal patent statute (35 U.S.C. § 285), shifting all case costs and the Plaintiffs’ reasonable attorneys’ fees over to the Defendants.
