U.S. Patent Small Claims Court

The USPTO engaged ACUS to conduct an independent study of issues associated with and options for designing a small claims patent court. The resulting report, which was ultimately be submitted to Congress, addressed, among other topics, whether there is need for a small claims patent court, the feasibility and potential structure of such a court, and the relevant legal, policy, and practical considerations in establishing a small claims court.

The ACUS Office of the Chair conducted the study and prepared the report with the assistance of Professors Kali Murray (Marquette Law), Arti Rai (Duke Law), and Melissa Wasserman (University of Texas Law). 

The Office of the Chair engaged with a wide range of interested persons as part of its study. To ensure all stakeholders had an opportunity to provide input, on May 3, 2022, ACUS published a request for information in the Federal Register welcoming views, information, and data on all aspects of a potential small claims patent court or small claims patent proceeding and its impact. ACUS extended the public comment period through August 26, 2022 and subsequently through September 2, 2022.

A consultative group of academic experts and legal practitioners, listed below, advised ACUS on questions regarding the study’s methodology for quantitative, qualitative, and legal research. Consultative group meetings were open to the public, and meeting minutes are posted to this webpage.

The Office of the Chair also conducted interviews with a wide range of stakeholders. Interviewees were selected based, in part, on public comments received in response to the request for information and input from the consultative group.

Consultative Group Members

A consultative group of academic experts and legal practitioners advised ACUS on questions regarding the study’s methodology for quantitative, qualitative, and legal research. Members of the consultative group were:

News Releases

Contacts:

Implementation Contact

Project Documents

Name Committee Type Date File
Public Comment - Amnon Cohen 2022.08.29 Comment Download Public Comment - Amnon Cohen 2022.08.29
Public Comment - Molly Metz 2022.08.29 Comment Download Public Comment - Molly Metz 2022.08.29
Public Comment - Walter Mruk 2022.08.29 Comment Download Public Comment - Walter Mruk 2022.08.29
Public Comment - Manus Cooney 2022.08.26 Comment Download Public Comment - Manus Cooney 2022.08.26
Public Comment - PTAB Bar Ass'n Trials Comm 2022.07.05 Comment Download Public Comment - PTAB Bar Ass'n Trials Comm 2022.07.05
Public Comment - Alexa Milton 2022.09.02 Comment Download Public Comment - Alexa Milton 2022.09.02
Public Comment - Jack Wilson 2022.09.02 Comment Download Public Comment - Jack Wilson 2022.09.02
Public Comment - Richard Brunner 2022.09.02 Comment Download Public Comment - Richard Brunner 2022.09.02
Public Comment - Jay C 2022.08.30 Comment Download Public Comment - Jay C 2022.08.30
Public Comment - Angelica White 2022.08.29 Comment Download Public Comment - Angelica White 2022.08.29
Public Comment - Nader Kamrani 2022.08.26 Comment Download Public Comment - Nader Kamrani 2022.08.26
Public Comment - William Bell 2022.08.26 Comment Download Public Comment - William Bell 2022.08.26
Public Comment - Maran Vedamanikam 2022.08.26 Comment Download Public Comment - Maran Vedamanikam 2022.08.26
Public Comment - Lee Hollaar 2022.07.02 Comment Download Public Comment - Lee Hollaar 2022.07.02
Public Comment - Arnold Beal 2022.09.02 Comment Download Public Comment - Arnold Beal 2022.09.02
Public Comment - Jeff Hardin 2022.09.02 Comment Download Public Comment - Jeff Hardin 2022.09.02
Public Comment - Robert Merz 2022.09.02 Comment Download Public Comment - Robert Merz 2022.09.02
Public Comment - Jay Rowland 2022.08.30 Comment Download Public Comment - Jay Rowland 2022.08.30
Public Comment - BrainThrob Labs 2022.08.29 Comment Download Public Comment - BrainThrob Labs 2022.08.29
Public Comment - NAPP 2022.08.26 Comment Download Public Comment - NAPP 2022.08.26
Public Comment - William Hamilton 2022.08.26 Comment Download Public Comment - William Hamilton 2022.08.26
Public Comment - Mark Thoreson 2022.08.26 Comment Download Public Comment - Mark Thoreson 2022.08.26
Public Comment - United Inventors Association 2022.07.01 Comment Download Public Comment - United Inventors Association 2022.07.01
Public Comment - Benjamin Kwitek 2022.09.02 Comment Download Public Comment - Benjamin Kwitek 2022.09.02
Public Comment - Jeremy Suelflow 2022.09.02 Comment Download Public Comment - Jeremy Suelflow 2022.09.02
Public Comment - Robert Schmidt 2022.09.02 Comment Download Public Comment - Robert Schmidt 2022.09.02
Public Comment - John Pfanstiehl 2022.08.30 Comment Download Public Comment - John Pfanstiehl 2022.08.30
Public Comment - Curt Evans 2022.08.26 Comment Download Public Comment - Curt Evans 2022.08.26
Public Comment - Nina Kamrani 2022.08.26 Comment Download Public Comment - Nina Kamrani 2022.08.26
Public Comment - Brian Aumiller 2022.08.26 Comment Download Public Comment - Brian Aumiller 2022.08.26

No events found.

Consultative Group Meeting #2 - U.S. Patent Small Claims Court

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Location name
ACUS will be hosting this meeting remotely. Members of the public interested in participating should contact Kazia Nowacki at knowacki@acus.gov and info@acus.gov to RSVP and request attendance information.
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