Markman v. Westview Instruments, Inc.
United States Supreme Court
517 U.S. 370 (1996)
Relevant factsFree
Markman (plaintiff) sued Westview (defendant) for patent infringement over an inventory-control system, with a key dispute over the meaning of the claim term "inventory"; after a jury verdict, the district court held claim construction was a matter of law for the court and found non-infringement. The Federal Circuit affirmed en banc, and the Supreme Court granted certiorari.
IssueFree
Whether, in a patent case, the interpretation of a term of art is a question reserved for the judge, not subject to the Seventh Amendment guarantee of a jury trial.
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