E. Edelmann & Co. v. Triple-A Specialty Co.
United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
88 F.2d 852 (1937)
- Written by Heather Whittemore, JD
Facts
E. Edelmann & Co. (Edelmann) (defendant) held a patent for a hydrometer. Triple-A Specialty Co. (Triple-A) (plaintiff) patented a competing hydrometer. Edelmann accused Triple-A of infringing its hydrometer patent and informed the industry of Triple-A’s alleged wrongdoing. Triple-A filed a lawsuit in federal district court, seeking a declaratory judgment that its hydrometer patent did not infringe Edelmann’s patent. Triple-A was able to seek a declaratory judgment because of the Declaratory Judgment Act, a federal law that provided federal courts the ability to hear a controversy between two parties and determine their legal rights without awarding any damages. The district court declared that Triple-A’s patent did not infringe Edelmann’s patent. Edelman appealed, arguing that the district court did not have jurisdiction over the case. Edelmann reasoned that the case arose under equity rather than patent laws. Edelmann further argued that the Declaratory Judgment Act did not confer jurisdiction over the case to the federal court.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Lindley, J.)
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