Legal Question in Intellectual Property in California

I assume that as a matter where Federal law governs, the cases are filed in a United States District Court. It also sounds as though they were filed as three separate actions. Finally, I'd guess that the defendants know about the other suits and maybe have asked the court to consolidate the matters.

A Federal Court is empowered to consolidate cases pending before them under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 42(a), which reads as follows:

"When actions involving a common question of law or fact are pending before the court, it may order a joint hearing or trial of any or all of the matters in issue in the actions; it may order all the actions consolidated; and it may make such orders concering proceedings therein as may tend to avoid unnecessary costs or delay."

That gives the court substantial powers over the three cases.

I should add that consolidation of cases does not merge the separate lawsuits into a single action, nor does it make the defendants in Case #1 defendants in Case #2; nor does it affect any substantive right of a party. It is only a procedural short-cut.