{"argument_date":"2002-01-08T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2002-01-08T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2001","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Neustadt addressed a question from Justice Breyer.","Mr. Bork referred to the parties as SMC.","Chief Justice Rehnquist confirmed the case number.","Mr. Wallace responded to a question from the Chief Justice."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 3-60","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 3-60"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 11-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 11-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 33-35"}]}],"caption":"Festo Corp. v. Shoketsu Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Co.","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:32.521972Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Festo seeks to limit the doctrine of equivalents. Shoketsu argues the doctrine remains broad.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 3-60","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 3-60"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 11-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 11-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-25"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2002-01-08T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2001","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/00-1543.html","primary_docket":"00-1543","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T17:21:06.844862Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":1},{"correction_note":"Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.","created_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":2}],"schema_version":"1.1","sections":[{"heading":"What this case is about","paragraphs":["The dispute centers on the scope of patent protection. Festo argues that changing claim language limits the patent. Shoketsu contends the doctrine of equivalents still applies broadly."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 3-60","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 3-60"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 11-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 11-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-25"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 8, 2002."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-11"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Festo wants the Court to limit the doctrine of equivalents.","Shoketsu wants the Court to maintain broad patent protection."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 3-60","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 3-60"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 11-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 11-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-25"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Festo argues that amending claims restricts the patent scope.","Shoketsu argues that the doctrine of equivalents remains fully applicable."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 3-60","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 3-60"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 11-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 11-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-25"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Rehnquist asked about a specific statutory section.","Justice Breyer asked about the scope of the doctrine."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 33-35"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["The outcome defines the boundaries of patent rights. It affects how inventors draft claims. It impacts the cost of patent litigation. It shapes the balance between innovation and competition."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 3-60","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 3-60"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 11-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 11-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-25"}]},{"heading":"What happens next","paragraphs":["This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 33-35"}]}],"slug":"2001-00-1543-festo-corp-v-shoketsu-kinzoku-kogyo-kabushiki-co","term":"2001","title":"Does a patent holder lose rights by changing claim language?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 3-60","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 3-60"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 11-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 11-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1543.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-25"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}