No. 20-440October Term 2020Decided Jun 29, 2021
Minerva Surgical, Inc. v. Hologic, Inc.
This case asked whether an inventor who assigned patent rights, and a company founded by that inventor, could later defend against an infringement suit by arguing that the patent was invalid.
Case status
- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Jun 29, 2021
- What it's about
This case asked whether an inventor who assigned patent rights, and a company founded by that inventor, could later defend against an infringement suit by arguing that the patent was invalid. The Court kept the doctrine of assignor estoppel but limited it, holding that it bars an invalidity defense only when the challenge contradicts representations the assignor made when transferring the patent.
Question presented
The question is whether a defendant in a patent infringement action who assigned the patent, or is in privity with an assignor of the patent, may have a defense of invalidity heard on the merits.
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit / Decision released Jun 29, 2021
- Area
Decided Supreme Court case
Timing
Decided June 29, 2021
The Court released its decision on June 29, 2021 without hearing oral argument.
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Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary-source trail available.
- Note
- Plain-English explainer. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Jul 25, 2026
- Method
- Methodology