Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Jury Trials in Patent Cases: Practical and Legal Considerations

By John M. Griem, Jr. and Emily Jayne Kunz
December 28, 2006

One of the most important questions facing a party going to trial in a patent action is whether a jury will help or hurt the party's chance of winning. Recent Federal Circuit and Supreme Court decisions confirm that patentees actually have considerable control over whether a judge or a jury decides the disputed facts. These decisions hold that the Seventh Amendment does not require a jury trial in patent cases where the relief sought is purely equitable, and the right to a jury trial can be lost if damages claims are dismissed. This article explores some of the legal and tactical considerations behind deciding whether to seek a jury trial.

Is a Jury Trial Right for the Case?

Read These Next
The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later Image

The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.

The DOJ's New Parameters for Evaluating Corporate Compliance Programs Image

The parameters set forth in the DOJ's memorandum have implications not only for the government's evaluation of compliance programs in the context of criminal charging decisions, but also for how defense counsel structure their conference-room advocacy seeking declinations or lesser sanctions in both criminal and civil investigations.

Use of Deferred Prosecution Agreements In White Collar Investigations Image

This article discusses the practical and policy reasons for the use of DPAs and NPAs in white-collar criminal investigations, and considers the NDAA's new reporting provision and its relationship with other efforts to enhance transparency in DOJ decision-making.

Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough Image

There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.

Compliance Officers: Recent Regulatory Guidance and Enforcement Actions and Mitigating the Risk of Personal Liability Image

This article explores legal developments over the past year that may impact compliance officer personal liability.