{"argument_date":"2014-04-30T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2014-04-30T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2013","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Panner argued that the Patent Act text requires direct infringement for indirect liability.","Ms. Anders argued that the Federal Circuit's holding on inducement liability is legally incorrect.","Mr. Waxman argued that Limelight's theory allows parties to divide steps without liability."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 29-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 29-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 39-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 39-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 25-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 25-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 45-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 39-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 43-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 29-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 39-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 33-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 41-43"}]}],"caption":"Limelight Networks, Inc. v. Akamai Technologies, Inc.","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:23.884324Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Limelight argues that inducing infringement requires direct infringement. Akamai argues that inducement liability exists without it.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 29-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 29-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 39-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 39-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-23"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2014-04-30T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2013","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/12-786.html","primary_docket":"12-786","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-30T20:32:42.665333Z","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 Section 271(b) of the Patent Act. Limelight seeks to limit liability. Akamai seeks to expand it."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 29-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 29-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 39-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 39-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-23"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 30, 2014."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Limelight wants the Court to require direct infringement for inducement liability.","Akamai wants the Court to allow inducement liability without direct infringement."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 29-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 29-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 39-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 39-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-23"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Limelight argues that Section 271(b) requires actionable direct infringement under Section 271(a).","Akamai argues that parties can divide method steps to avoid liability under Limelight's theory."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 29-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 29-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 39-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 39-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-23"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Roberts asked if Limelight's position makes it easy to bypass patent protection.","Justice Kennedy asked if the rule should differ for method patents versus device patents."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 25-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 25-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 45-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 39-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 43-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 29-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 39-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 33-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 41-43"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the scope of patent liability. It determines how companies structure their operations. It affects the enforceability of method patents."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 29-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 29-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 39-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 39-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-23"}]},{"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 10, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 25-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 25-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 45-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 39-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 43-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 29-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 39-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 33-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 41-43"}]}],"slug":"2013-12-786-limelight-networks-inc-v-akamai-technologies-inc","term":"2013","title":"Does indirect patent infringement require direct infringement?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 29-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 29-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 39-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 39-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-786_5he6.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-23"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}