35 U.S.C. § 296 — Liability of States, instrumentalities of States, and State officials for infringement of patents
submitted 34 years ago by Pub. L. 102-560 to r/title-35-PATENTS · 162 words · no verdicts yet
States and their officials can be sued in federal court for infringing a patent, even though they would normally have immunity. Anyone, including a government entity, can bring this kind of suit. The same remedies apply as in a lawsuit against a private company.
Any State, any instrumentality of a State, and any officer or employee of a State or instrumentality of a State acting in his official capacity, shall not be immune, under the eleventh amendment of the Constitution of the United States* or under any other doctrine of sovereign immunity, from suit in Federal court by any person, including any governmental or nongovernmental entity, for infringement of a patent under section 271, or for any other violation under this title.
In a suit described in subsection (a) for a violation described in that subsection, remedies (including remedies both at law and in equity) are available for the violation to the same extent as such remedies are available for such a violation in a suit against any private entity. Such remedies include damages, interest, costs, and treble damages under section 284, attorney fees under section 285, and the additional remedy for infringement of design patents under section 289.
Source credit: (Added Pub. L. 102–560, § 2(a)(2), Oct. 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 4230.)
- 1992Enacted · Pub. L. 102-560 · 106 Stat. 4230
A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by Pub. L. 102-560 on 1992-10-28.
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