October Term 2013 · Docket 12-1163
Should courts defer to lower courts when reviewing patent fee awards?
Parties dispute whether appellate courts must defer to lower courts when reviewing patent fee awards.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Highmark's counsel argued that the Federal Circuit's de novo standard was wrong.
Allcare's counsel argued that the de novo standard is correct for legal questions.
Justices questioned the relationship between claim construction and the standard of review.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-29 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 17-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 7-9 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 7-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 19-3 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 19-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 21-37 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 21-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 5-17 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 5-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 21-35 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 21-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 27-41 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 27-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-27 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 29-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 29-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-45 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 39-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 49-49 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 49-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 9-17 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 9-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-33 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 19-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 17-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 17-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 39-47 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 39-47
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case concerns the standard of review for patent fee awards. Highmark argues for a deferential standard. Allcare argues for a de novo standard.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 19-3 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 19-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 27-41 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 27-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-27 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-27
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on February 26, 2014.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
What each side wants
Highmark wants the Supreme Court to apply an abuse of discretion standard to fee awards.
Allcare wants the Supreme Court to apply a de novo standard to fee awards.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 19-3 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 19-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 27-41 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 27-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-27 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-27
What each side says
Highmark argues that prior Supreme Court cases support a deferential standard for similar fee disputes.
Allcare argues that the de novo standard is appropriate because claim construction involves legal questions.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 19-3 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 19-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 27-41 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 27-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-27 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-27
What the justices asked
Justice Alito questioned why the attorneys' fees context is special compared to other legal issues.
Justice Kagan asked how a judge measures the difference between correct and mistaken claim constructions.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-29 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 17-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 7-9 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 7-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 21-37 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 21-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 5-17 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 5-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 21-35 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 21-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 29-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 29-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-45 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 39-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 49-49 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 49-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 9-17 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 9-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-33 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 19-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 17-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 17-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 39-47 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 39-47
Why it matters
The outcome determines how much deference appellate courts give to lower courts in patent fee disputes. This affects the cost and risk of patent litigation for all parties.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 19-3 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 19-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 27-41 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 27-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-27 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-27
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-29 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 17-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 7-9 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 7-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 21-37 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 21-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 5-17 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 5-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 21-35 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 21-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 29-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 29-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-45 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 39-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 49-49 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 49-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 9-17 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 9-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-33 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 19-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 17-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 17-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 39-47 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 39-47
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 19-3 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 19-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 27-41 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 27-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-27 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 19-3 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 19-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 27-41 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 27-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-27 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-27
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.