Markman v. Westview Instruments, Inc.
United States Supreme Court
517 U.S. 370, 116 S.Ct. 1384, 134 L.Ed.2d 577 (1996)
- Written by Alexis Tsotakos, JD
Facts
Markman (plaintiff) sued Westview (defendant) for infringing its patent to an inventory control system for use by dry cleaners. A key issue was the construction of the claim term “inventory.” After a jury verdict, Westview moved for judgment as a matter of law. The district court held that claim construction is a matter of law for the court and found non-infringement. Markman appealed to the court of appeals for the federal circuit, which upheld the district court decision en banc. Markman petitioned for a writ of certiorari, which was granted.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Souter, J.)
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