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Hyatt v. Kappos: Federal Circuit Opens Door to Post-BPAI Civil Actions
ＵＳＰＴＯの審判部（ＢＰＡＩ）の審決に対する不服申立ては、通常は、ＣＡＦＣに対して行われますが、民事訴訟を提起して、地裁に対して不服申立てをすることができます。ＣＡＦＣでは、日本の審決取消訴訟と同様に、審決の適法性のみが審理され、新たな証拠の提出が厳しく制限されます。一方、地裁に対して提起する民事訴訟では、新証拠の提出は一応は認められていましたが、制限があったようです。
今回の判決では、新証拠の提出については、Federal Rules of Evidence and Federal Rules of Civil Procedure（民事訴訟規則）による制限のみが課されると述べられましたので、従来よりも、証拠提出についての制限が緩くなったようです。
ただし、新証拠を提出せずに新たな争点を提起することは認められておらず、また、ＢＰＡＩの審決に対しては、Administrative Procedures Actに基づいてdeference(尊重）されるようです。
35 U.S.C. 141 Appeal to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.　ＣＡＦＣへの上訴
An applicant dissatisfied with the decision in an appeal to the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences under section 134 of this title may appeal the decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. By filing such an appeal the applicant waives his or her right to proceed under section 145 of this title. A patent owner, or a third-party requester in an inter partes reexamination proceeding, who is in any reexamination proceeding dissatisfied with the final decision in an appeal to the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences under section 134 may appeal the decision only to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. A party to an interference dissatisfied with the decision of the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences on the interference may appeal the decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, but such appeal shall be dismissed if any adverse party to such interference, within twenty days after the appellant has filed notice of appeal in accordance with section 142 of this title, files notice with the Director that the party elects to have all further proceedings conducted as provided in section 146 of this title. If the appellant does not, within thirty days after filing of such notice by the adverse party, file a civil action under section 146, the decision appealed from shall govern the further proceedings in the case.
35 U.S.C. 145 Civil action to obtain patent.　特許を取得するための民事訴訟
An applicant dissatisfied with the decision of the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences in an appeal under section 134(a) of this title may, unless appeal has been taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, have remedy by civil action against the Director in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia if commenced within such time after such decision, not less than sixty days, as the Director appoints. The court may adjudge that such applicant is entitled to receive a patent for his invention, as specified in any of his claims involved in the decision of the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences, as the facts in the case may appear, and such adjudication shall authorize the Director to issue such patent on compliance with the requirements of law. All the expenses of the proceedings shall be paid by the applicant.