Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University v. Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.
Holding
The Bayh-Dole Act does not automatically vest title to federally funded inventions in federal contractors or authorize contractors to unilaterally take title to such inventions.
Plain English Holding
The right to patent an invention ordinarily belongs to the person who created the invention, rather than to the inventor’s employer (unless the employer and employee agree otherwise). That rule does not change simply because the invention was created with the assistance of federal funding.
Judgment
Affirmed, 7-2, in an opinion by John Roberts on Jun 6, 2011. Justice Sotomayor joined the Court’s opinion but also filed a concurring opinion; Justice Breyer filed a dissenting opinion, which was joined by Justice Ginsburg.
Merits Briefs
- Brief of Petitioner Board of Trustees of Stanford University
- Brief for Respondents Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.
- Reply Brief of the Petitioner Board of Trustees of Stanford University
Amicus Briefs
- Brief for Birch Bayh in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for John Sutton Suggesting Reversal
- Brief for American Intellectual Property Law Association in Support of Neither Party
- Brief for the United States in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for Bayhdole25, Inc., in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for Association of American Universities, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Council on Education, Association of American Medical Colleges, Association of Independent Research Institutes, Association of Public and Landgrant Universities, the Association of University Technology Managers, Council on Governmental Relations, In Support of Petitioner
- Brief for Alexander M. Shukh, PH.D. in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for Intellectual Property Owners Association in Support of Respondent
- Brief for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America in Support of Respondent
- Brief for Intel Corporation, Eli Lilly and Company, Johnson and Johnson, Life Technologies Corporation, Pfizer, Inc., and SAP America, Inc. in Support of Respondent
- Brief for Biotechnology Industry Organization in Support of Respondent
- Brief for the American Association of University Professors, IEEE-USA, and IP Advocate in Support of Affirmance
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Recommended Citation: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University v. Roche Molecular Systems, Inc., SCOTUSblog, https://www.scotusblog.com/cases/board-of-trustees-of-the-leland-stanford-junior-university-v-roche-molecular-systems-inc/