Is res judicata applicable in patent reexamination proceedings?
No, res judicata (claim preclusion) is generally not applicable in patent reexamination proceedings. MPEP § 2659 states: “The doctrine of res judicata based on a court holding in an infringement proceeding is not applicable in reexamination proceedings, because the Office was not a party to the litigation.” This means that even if a court has…
Read MoreCan collateral estoppel be applied against the USPTO in reexamination proceedings?
No, collateral estoppel (issue preclusion) generally cannot be applied against the USPTO in reexamination proceedings based on a district court holding in an infringement proceeding. This principle was established in the case of In re Trans Texas Holdings Corp., 498 F.3d 1290, 83 USPQ2d 1835 (Fed. Cir. 2007). According to MPEP § 2659: “In In…
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