Patent reform season enters high gear over next few months

Posted by J. Matthew Buchanan

April 20, 2005

If you’re not watching the developments in US patent reform efforts yet, you’ll have a hard time avoiding the issue over the next several months. The reform movement is about to shift into high gear and should become the forefront issue in the patent universe over the summer. Consider these upcoming events:

1. House subcommittee oversight hearing on patent quality improvement (April 20)

UPDATE: 1a. House subcommittee likely to hold second oversight hearing on patent quality improvement (April 27)

2. Senate subcommittee oversight hearing on “The Patent System Today and Tomorrow” (April 21)

UPDATE: This hearing has been rescheduled for Monday, April 25 and relabeled as “Perspectives on Patents.”

3. Oral argument in the Court of Federal Claims on the patent fee diversion case (a class action suit requesting an end to the inventor’s tax that is Patent and Trademark Office fee diversion) (thanks to Heath Hoglund for the tip) (May 13)

The case is captioned as Figueroa v. United States. Visit Heath’s firm’s website for more information on the case, including downloadable .pdfs of all filings in the case.

The timing of this oral argument is quite incredible. The reform debate in Congress will ultimately touch on the fee diversion issue and at least one proposed anti-fee diversion bill is in the works. A timely decision from the Court of Federal Claims could have an interesting impact here, as could an appeal to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

4. National Academy of Sciences meeting on patent reform (closing the AIPLA Town Hall Series) (June 9)