In another noteworthy year for patent law, the U.S. Supreme Court and the Federal Circuit issued several decisions that altered the patent landscape, including three Supreme Court decisions. The topics of the key cases included whether "secret sales" qualify as prior art, standing to appeal an inter partes review ("IPR") decision, whether federal agencies can petition for IPR, sovereign immunity, and whether the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ("PTO") can recover attorneys' fees.

This White Paper summarizes and explains some of the most significant patent law decisions of 2019. Each of these decisions has meaningful implications for patent owners, defendants, and patent practitioners alike.