Federal Circuit rules laches a viable defence in patent cases

Managing IP is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Gardens, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2025

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

Cookies Settings

Federal Circuit rules laches a viable defence in patent cases

September 18 2015
federal-circuit.jpg

Citing concerns about 'stale' patents, the Federal Circuit has ruled, en banc, that laches is a statutory defence in the Patent Act and may be a defence to both legal and equitable remedies

Unlock this content.

The content you are trying to view is exclusive to our subscribers.

To unlock this content:

Take a Free Trial or Login

Topics

NewsUnited StatesPatentsNorth AmericaJurisdictions
more from across site and SHARED ros bottom lb

More from across our site

Patents
Blick auf die Business Bay in Dubai mit den modernen Wolkenkratzern bei Sonnenaufgang
Exclusive: UK and Netherlands join AIPPI Dubai criticism
National groups for the UK and the Netherlands have flagged concerns with the choice of venue, following a formal complaint from Australia’s national group
Max Walters, December 16 2025
50 most influential people in IP
Mary Rasenberger.jpg
50 most influential people in IP 2025: Mary Rasenberger
Rasenberger is the CEO at the Authors Guild in the US
December 16 2025
50 most influential people in IP
Hilde Vold-Burgess web.jpg
50 most influential people in IP 2025: Hilde Vold-Burgess
Vold-Burgess is the client director at Acapo Onsagers and the former CEO at Acapo in Norway
December 16 2025
50 most influential people in IP
Adam Williams Dec 2025.jpg
50 most influential people in IP 2025: Adam Williams
Williams is the CEO of the UKIPO in the UK
December 16 2025
50 most influential people in IP
Olena Orliuk.jpg
50 most influential people in IP 2025: Olena Orliuk
Orliuk is director of the Ukrainian IP office
December 16 2025
50 most influential people in IP
StaciJulie_TevaPicture1 (002).png
50 most influential people in IP 2025: Staci Julie
Julie is chief IP counsel at Teva in the US
December 16 2025
50 most influential people in IP
photo-collage.png
50 most influential people in IP 2025: Taylor Ludlam and Roy Maharaj
Ludlam is chief IP and litigation officer at Lenovo, while Maharaj is chief licensing officer for Ericsson in the US
December 16 2025
50 most influential people in IP
Antonio Campinos.jpg
50 most influential people in IP 2025: António Campinos
Campinos is the president of the EPO in Munich
December 16 2025
50 most influential people in IP
Abdulaziz bin Mohammed AlSwailem.jpg
50 most influential people in IP 2025: Abdulaziz bin Mohammed AlSwailem
AlSwailem is the CEO of Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property in Saudi Arabia
December 16 2025
50 most influential people in IP
Geneva, Switzerland, Europe : Main entrance to Centre William Rappard, headquarters of the World Trade Organization, logo of WTO, Rue de Lausanne
50 most influential people in IP 2025: Penelope Ridings, Claudia Orozco, Mateo Diego-Fernández Andrade
Ridings, Orozco and Diego-Fernández Andrade are appeal arbitrators at the WTO in Switzerland
December 16 2025
Gift this article