The North Carolina Default Patent Protective Order (NC DOPA) is a protective order created to protect the confidential information disclosed during patent litigation. This order applies to all patent cases in the state of North Carolina and requires parties to keep confidential any information designated as confidential by either party. The NC DOPA is designed to protect the confidential information shared by the parties, including information related to inventions, products, trade secrets, pricing information, strategies, and research. The NC DOPA includes two different types of protective orders: the Standard Order and the Limited Order. The Standard Order is the default order and applies to all patent cases in North Carolina. It requires all parties to designate any confidential information as confidential and keep it protected from unauthorized disclosure. The Limited Order is an alternative order and applies to cases involving fewer than five parties. This order requires only the parties with the most sensitive confidential information to designate and protect that information.