<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001193125-08-253558
<TYPE>8-K
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20081212
<ITEMS>8.01
<FILING-DATE>20081215
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20081215
<FILER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>AtriCure, Inc.
<CIK>0001323885
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3841
<IRS-NUMBER>341940305
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>8-K
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-51470
<FILM-NUMBER>081250052
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>6033 SCHUMACHER PARK DRIVE
<CITY>WEST CHESTER
<STATE>OH
<ZIP>45069
<PHONE>513-755-4107
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>6033 SCHUMACHER PARK DRIVE
<CITY>WEST CHESTER
<STATE>OH
<ZIP>45069
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</FILER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>8-K
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>d8k.htm
<DESCRIPTION>CURRENT REPORT
<TEXT>
<HTML><HEAD>
<TITLE>Current Report</TITLE>
</HEAD>
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 <P STYLE="line-height:0px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;border-bottom:0.5pt solid #000000">&nbsp;</P> <P
STYLE="line-height:3px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:2px;border-bottom:0.5pt solid #000000">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:3px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="5"><B>SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
</B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="3"><B>WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P><center> <P
STYLE="line-height:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:2px;border-bottom:1pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="5"><B>FORM 8-K </B></FONT></P> <P
STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P><center> <P STYLE="line-height:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:2px;border-bottom:1pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px"
ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="3"><B>CURRENT REPORT </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="3"><B>PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) of the </B></FONT></P> <P
STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="3"><B>SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"
SIZE="2"><B>Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December&nbsp;12, 2008 </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P><center> <P
STYLE="line-height:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:2px;border-bottom:1pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="6"><B>ATRICURE, INC.
</B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter) </B></FONT></P> <P
STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P><center> <P STYLE="line-height:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:2px;border-bottom:1pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P
STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Delaware</B></FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>000-51470</B></FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>34-1940305</B></FONT></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>(State or other jurisdiction</B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:1px" ALIGN="center"><FONT
FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>of incorporation)</B></FONT></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>(Commission File Number)</B></FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>(IRS Employer</B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:1px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"
SIZE="1"><B>Identification No.)</B></FONT></P></TD></TR>
</TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>6033 Schumacher Park Drive</B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:1px" ALIGN="center"><FONT
FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>West Chester, OH</B></FONT></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>45069</B></FONT></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>(Address of principal executive offices)</B></FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>(Zip Code)</B></FONT></TD></TR>
</TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Registrant&#146;s telephone number, including area code: (513)&nbsp;755-4100 </B></FONT></P> <P
STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Not Applicable </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="1"><B>(Former name or
former address, if changed since last report) </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P><center> <P
STYLE="line-height:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:2px;border-bottom:1pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K
filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below): </FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) </FONT></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>

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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) </FONT></TD></TR></TABLE> <P
STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) </FONT></TD></TR></TABLE> <P
STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) </FONT></TD></TR></TABLE> <P
STYLE="font-size:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="line-height:3px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;border-bottom:0.5pt solid #000000">&nbsp;</P> <P
STYLE="line-height:3px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:2px;border-bottom:0.5pt solid #000000">&nbsp;</P>

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<TD WIDTH="10%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Item&nbsp;8.01.</B></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Other Events. </B></FONT></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:6px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">On December&nbsp;12, 2008, AtriCure,
Inc. (the &#147;Company&#148;) became aware of a putative class action lawsuit captioned <I>Halford vs. AtriCure, Inc., et al.</I>, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Western Division. The plaintiff alleges
violations of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder and seeks unspecified damages against the Company and certain of its current executive officers. The plaintiff alleges, among other
things, that the defendants issued materially false and misleading statements that failed to disclose that the Company improperly promoted certain products to physicians and improperly caused the filing of false claims for reimbursement. The class
period alleged runs from May&nbsp;10, 2007 through October&nbsp;31, 2008. The Company intends to vigorously defend this lawsuit and any additional related lawsuits that may be filed. </FONT></P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" ALIGN="center"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>SIGNATURES </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%"><FONT
FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized. </FONT></P> <P
STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom" COLSPAN="3"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">ATRICURE, INC.</FONT></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="top"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Date: December&nbsp;15, 2008</FONT></TD>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">By:</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:1px;border-bottom:1px solid #000000"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">/s/ Julie A. Piton</FONT></P></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Julie A. Piton</FONT></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Vice President, Finance and</FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:1px"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Administration and Chief
Financial Officer</FONT></P></TD></TR>
</TABLE>
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</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
