October Term 2016 · Docket 15-777
Does a design patent cover the whole smartphone or just its components?
Samsung and Apple dispute whether design patent damages apply to the entire phone or only specific parts.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — 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
Ms. Sullivan argued a smartphone contains many technologies.
Mr. Fletcher stated the parties agree on the legal questions.
Ms. Sullivan emphasized the plaintiff bears the burden of proof.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 46-48 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 46-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 50-4 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 50-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 8-8 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 8-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 24-48 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 24-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 40-46 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 40-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 48-52 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 48-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 4-52 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 4-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 20-4 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 20-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 38-42 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 38-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 8-14 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 8-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 24-46 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 24-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 48-50 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 48-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-26 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 16-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 46-48 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 46-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 46-26 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 46-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 24-28 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 24-28
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests the scope of design patent remedies. The core issue is defining the article of manufacture for damages.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 48-52 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 48-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 4-52 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 4-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 24-46 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 24-46
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 11, 2016.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 48-50 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 48-50
What each side wants
Samsung wants damages limited to specific phone components.
Apple wants damages based on the entire smartphone.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 48-52 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 48-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 4-52 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 4-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 24-46 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 24-46
What each side says
Samsung argues the plaintiff must prove the specific article of manufacture.
Apple argues the whole phone constitutes the article of manufacture.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 48-52 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 48-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 4-52 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 4-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 24-46 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 24-46
What the justices asked
Justice Kennedy asked how to instruct a jury on the test.
Justice Alito asked about the difference between causation and apportionment.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 46-48 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 46-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 50-4 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 50-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 8-8 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 8-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 24-48 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 24-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 40-46 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 40-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 20-4 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 20-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 38-42 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 38-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 8-14 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 8-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 48-50 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 48-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-26 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 16-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 46-48 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 46-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 46-26 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 46-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 24-28 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 24-28
Why it matters
The outcome sets the standard for calculating design patent damages. It determines whether profits from the whole product count. This affects compensation for design infringement claims.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 48-52 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 48-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 4-52 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 4-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 24-46 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 24-46
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 10, lines 46-48 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 46-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 50-4 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 50-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 8-8 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 8-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 24-48 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 24-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 40-46 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 40-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 20-4 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 20-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 38-42 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 38-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 8-14 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 8-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 48-50 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 48-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-26 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 16-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 46-48 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 46-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 46-26 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 46-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 24-28 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 24-28
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 20, lines 48-52 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 48-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 4-52 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 4-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 24-46 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 24-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 48-52 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 48-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 4-52 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 4-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 24-46 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 24-46
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.