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Life Technologies Corporation v. Promega Corporation

Docket No. Op. Below Argument Opinion Vote Author Term
14-1538 Fed. Cir. Dec 6, 2016 Feb 22, 2017 7-0 Sotomayor OT 2016

Holding: The supply of a single component of a multicomponent invention for manufacture abroad does not give rise to liability under Section 271(f)(1) of the Patent Act, which prohibits the supply from the United States of "all or a substantial portion of the components of a patented invention" for combination abroad.

Judgment: Reversed and remanded, 7-0, in an opinion by Justice Sotomayor on February 22, 2017. Justices Thomas and Alito joined as to all but Part II-C. Justice Alito filed an opinion concurring in part and concurring in the judgment, in which Justice Thomas joined. Chief Justice Roberts took no part in the decision of the case.

DateProceedings and Orders (key to color coding)
04/16/2015Application (14A1075) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from May 27, 2015 to June 26, 2015, submitted to The Chief Justice.
04/22/2015Application (14A1075) granted by The Chief Justice extending the time to file until June 26, 2015.
06/26/2015Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due July 29, 2015)
07/13/2015Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for petitioners.
07/17/2015Order extending time to file response to petition to and including August 26, 2015.
07/28/2015Brief amicus curiae of Agilent Technologies, Inc. filed.
07/29/2015Brief amicus curiae of Professor Timothy R. Holbrook filed.
08/26/2015Brief of respondent Promega Corporation in opposition filed.
09/08/2015Reply of petitioners Life Technologies Corporation, et al. filed. (Distributed)
09/09/2015DISTRIBUTED for Conference of September 28, 2015.
10/05/2015The Solicitor General is invited to file a brief in this case expressing the views of the United States.
05/11/2016Brief amicus curiae of United States filed.
05/27/2016Supplemental brief of petitioners Life Technologies Corporation, et al. filed.
05/31/2016DISTRIBUTED for Conference of June 16, 2016.
05/31/2016Supplemental brief of respondent Promega Corporation filed. (Distributed)
06/20/2016DISTRIBUTED for Conference of June 23, 2016.
06/27/2016Petition GRANTED limited to Question 2 presented by the petition.
07/26/2016The time to file the joint appendix and petitioners' brief on the merits is extended to and including September 1, 2016.
07/26/2016The time to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including October 24, 2016.
08/04/2016Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for Life Technologies Corporation, Invitrogen IP Holdings, Inc., and Applied Biosystems, LLC.
09/01/2016Joint appendix filed. (Statement of costs filed.)
09/01/2016Brief of petitioners Life Technologies Corporation, et al. filed.
09/07/2016Brief amicus curiae of Intellectual Property Owners Association in support of neither party filed.
09/07/2016Brief amicus curiae of Agilent Technologies, Inc. filed.
09/08/2016Brief amicus curiae of United States filed.
09/08/2016Brief amici curiae of Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie e.V., et al. filed.
09/08/2016Brief amicus curiae of American Intellectual Property Law Association in support of neither party filed.
09/08/2016Brief amici curiae of Intellectual Property Professors filed.
10/21/2016SET FOR ARGUMENT on Tuesday, December 6, 2016.
10/24/2016Brief of respondent Promega Corporation filed.
10/25/2016Brief amicus curiae of New York Intellectual Property Law Association filed. (Distributed)
10/26/2016CIRCULATED.
10/31/2016Brief amicus curiae of Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation filed. (Distributed)
11/01/2016Record requested from the U.S.C.A. Federal Circuit.
11/04/2016Record received from the U.S.C.A. Federal Circuit is electronic and located on PACER. Also received are Confidential documents that are also electronic.
11/07/2016Motion of the Acting Solicitor General out of time for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument filed.
11/10/2016Record received from the U.S.D.C. Western Dist. of Wisconsin is electronic.
11/22/2016Motion of the Acting Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument GRANTED. out of time
11/22/2016Reply of petitioners Life Technologies Corporation, et al. filed. (Distributed)
12/06/2016Argued. For petitioners: Carter G. Phillips, Washington, D. C.; and Zachary D. Tripp, Assistant to the Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. (for United States, as amicus curiae.) For respondents: Seth P. Waxman, Washington, D. C.
01/04/2017Letter from Clerk of Court to counsel of record noting that the Chief Justice will not continue to participate in this case.
02/22/2017Judgment REVERSED and case REMANDED. Sotomayor, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Kennedy, Ginsburg, Breyer, and Kagan, JJ., joined, and in which Thomas and Alito, JJ., joined as to all but Part II-C. Alito, J., filed an opinion concurring in part and concurring in the judgment, in which Thomas, J., joined. Roberts, C. J., took no part in the decision of the case.
03/27/2017JUDGMENT ISSUED.