U.S. intellectual property law

Patent Law

1. Diamond v. Chakrabarty (1980)
   • This Supreme Court case determined that genetically modified organisms could be patented, broadening the scope of what constitutes a patentable subject matter under U.S. law.
2. Graham v. John Deere Co. (1966)
   • Established the framework for determining obviousness, which is a key criterion for patentability.
3. Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank International (2014)
   • Provided significant guidance on the patentability of software and business methods, establishing the two-step test for determining patent eligibility under Section 101.

Copyright Law

1. Feist Publications, Inc. v. Rural Telephone Service Co. (1991)
   • Clarified the standard for originality in copyright law, ruling that merely compiling facts is not sufficient for copyright protection without a minimal degree of creativity.
2. Sony Corp. of America v. Universal City Studios, Inc. (1984)
   • Also known as the “Betamax case,” it determined that the sale of video recording devices was not contributory infringement of copyright, as they had substantial non-infringing uses.
3. Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music, Inc. (1994)
   • A landmark case on fair use, particularly regarding parody. The Supreme Court held that a commercial parody can qualify as fair use.

Trademark Law

1. Qualitex Co. v. Jacobson Products Co. (1995)
   • Established that a color can be trademarked if it serves as a symbol that distinguishes a product’s source.
2. Two Pesos, Inc. v. Taco Cabana, Inc. (1992)
   • Confirmed that trade dress, which is the overall look and feel of a product or its packaging, can be protected under trademark law without a showing of secondary meaning if it is inherently distinctive.
3. Matal v. Tam (2017)
   • Ruled that the Lanham Act’s prohibition on the registration of disparaging trademarks violated the First Amendment’s free speech clause.

Trade Secret Law

1. Kewanee Oil Co. v. Bicron Corp. (1974)
   • Affirmed that state trade secret laws are not pre-empted by federal patent law, supporting the dual protection of inventions.
2. Ruckelshaus v. Monsanto Co. (1984)
   • Held that trade secrets are property protected by the Fifth Amendment’s Takings Clause, ensuring compensation when government disclosure is required.

These cases provide a foundational understanding of the principles governing intellectual property in the United States, shaping the legal landscape for how intellectual creations are protected, enforced, and litigated.