Markman v. Westview Instruments, Inc.
| Markman v. Westview Instruments, Inc. | |
|---|---|
| Argued January 8, 1996 Decided April 23, 1996 | |
| Full case name | Herbert Markman and Positek, Incorporated, Petitioners v. Westview Instruments, Incorporated and Althon Enterprises, Incorporated |
| Citations | 517 U.S. 370 (more) 116 S. Ct. 1384; 134 L. Ed. 2d 577; 1996 U.S. LEXIS 2804; 64 U.S.L.W. 4263; 38 U.S.P.Q.2d (BNA) 1461; 96 Cal. Daily Op. Service 2788; 96 Daily Journal DAR 4642; 9 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. S 540 |
| Case history | |
| Prior | Directed verdict for defendant, 772 F. Supp. 1535 (E.D. Pa. 1991); affirmed, 52 F.3d 967 (Fed. Cir. 1995); cert. granted, 515 U.S. 1192 (1995). |
| Subsequent | None |
| Holding | |
| Interpretation of patent claim terms is a matter of law for the court to decide. | |
| Court membership | |
| |
| Case opinion | |
| Majority | Souter, joined by unanimous |
| Laws applied | |
| U.S. Const. amend. VII | |
Markman v. Westview Instruments, Inc., 517 U.S. 370 (1996), is a United States Supreme Court case on whether the interpretation of patent claims is a matter of law or a question of fact. An issue designated as a matter of law is resolved by the judge, and an issue construed as a question of fact is determined by the jury.