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No. 20-440October Term 2020Decided Jun 29, 2021

Docket 20-440October Term 2020 (2020–2021)

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
Case Accepted
Arguments
Decision ReleasedJun 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.