Supreme Court Recognizes Patent Trolls are a Problem: Legislation Still Needed

Congress Must Act Now

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, The Internet Association’s President and CEO Michael Beckerman issued the following statement regarding the Supreme Court’s decisions on two fee-shifting cases, Octane Fitness and Highmark:

“Today, the Supreme Court recognized the burden that abusive patent litigation places on American businesses and the urgent need to address the problem. Joining the White House and Congress, the Supreme Court is the latest branch of government to agree that abusive patent litigation must be swiftly and strongly curtailed. The Internet Association welcomes the Court’s ruling to make it easier to shift fees in exceptional cases, but legislation is needed to fully address the problem of patent troll tactics that drive up litigation costs for the purpose of extracting nuisance settlements. Every day that goes by without clear legislative guidance on fee shifting and other necessary reforms to patent litigation hurts innovation and costs jobs. Congress must act now.”

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