No. 18-1027October Term 2018Decided Apr 27, 2020Updated Sep 3, 2026
Superior Commc'ns v. Voltstar Techs.
Superior Commc'ns, Inc. v. Voltstar Techs., Inc.
The Court declined to review the case, leaving the Federal Circuit's result in place without resolving the patent question.
Case status
Decided · April 27, 2020
- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Apr 27, 2020
- What it's about
This case involves a legal dispute between Superior Communications and Voltstar Technologies that was appealed from the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. The Supreme Court has granted certiorari to review the lower court's decision.
Question presented
Whether the Federal Circuit’s “all-elements rule” for patent infringement under the doctrine of equivalents—which requires that an accused product contain every element of a patent claim or its equivalent—is consistent with this Court’s precedent in Warner-Jenkinson Co. v. Hilton Davis Chemical Co., 520 U.S. 17 (1997), and Festo Corp. v. Shoketsu Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Co., 535 U.S. 722 (2002)?
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit / Decision released Apr 27, 2020
- Area
Decided Supreme Court case
Decision
What the Court decided
The Court declined to review the case, leaving the Federal Circuit's result in place without resolving the patent question.
Impact
The dispute affects patent owners and companies accused of copying technology. For example, a company selling a similar product may face different infringement arguments depending on whether every patent-claim element is required.
Not official Court text.
Briefing
What it's about
Superior Communications asked the Court to review a Federal Circuit patent-infringement rule requiring every claim element, or an equivalent, in an accused product. The Court declined review and did not decide the merits.
Impact
The dispute affects patent owners and companies accused of copying technology. For example, a company selling a similar product may face different infringement arguments depending on whether every patent-claim element is required.
What's next
The Supreme Court has finished its docket action. The parties remain bound by the Federal Circuit's result.
What did the Supreme Court rule in Superior Communications v. Voltstar?
The Court declined to review the case and did not decide the patent issue. The Federal Circuit's result remained in place.
Who is affected by the all-elements rule in this case?
Patent owners and companies accused of infringement may be affected. The rule concerns whether an accused product includes each claimed feature or an equivalent.
What happens next in Superior Communications v. Voltstar?
The Supreme Court has finished its action. The case proceeds no further there, and the Federal Circuit's result remains effective.
Timing
Decided April 27, 2020
The Court released its decision on April 27, 2020 without hearing oral argument.
Documents
Activity
Docket activity2
AI analysis generated: Case Briefing
Sep 3, 2026 | Generated
Brief added: Petition
Feb 4, 2019 | Court records
Related cases
Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary materials plus reporting.
- Note
- Best-effort analysis: this explainer relies on a mix of primary materials and trusted secondary sources. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Sep 3, 2026
- Method
- Methodology