To the surprise of no one, the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled laches is not a defense to patent infringement suits that are brought within the Patent Act’s limitations period.
The court followed the logic of its 2014 statute of limitations decision from copyright law, Petrella v. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Because the Patent Act, like the Copyright Act, contains a limitations period, the window for filing suit cannot be further shortened by laches, a 7-1 majority concluded Tuesday in SCA Hygiene Products v. First Quality Baby Products.
