Case Summary
**Case Summary: Return Mail, Inc. v. United States Postal Service (USPS), Docket No. 4584235**
**Court:** United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
**Date:** September 2019
**Key Issues:** Patent law, standing, government as a defendant, interpretation of the American Invents Act (AIA)
**Background:**
Return Mail, Inc. (Return Mail) is a company that owns several patents related to the processing of undeliverable mail. In 2016, the United States Postal Service (USPS), under its operations, began using a process that Return Mail asserted infringed upon its patents. Return Mail filed a patent infringement claim against USPS, seeking remedies for the alleged infringement.
**Legal Proceedings:**
The case initially moved through the Court of Federal Claims, where USPS argued that it could not be held liable for patent infringement under the American Invents Act (AIA). The AIA states that “a person” can file for post-grant review of a patent, and a central question in this case was whether the term "person" includes federal agencies like USPS.
**Decision:**
The Court of Federal Claims ruled in favor of USPS, concluding that the government is not a "person" under the AIA and thus has immunity from claims of patent infringement. Return Mail appealed the decision.
On appeal, the Federal Circuit examined the definition of "person" as it pertains to the AIA and patent law more broadly. The court ultimately upheld the dismissal, agreeing with the lower court that the United States and its agencies cannot be sued for patent infringement under current laws.
**Implications:**
This case set an important precedent regarding the ability of patent holders to pursue claims against government entities. The ruling highlighted the complexities around interpretations of the AIA and the scope of patent protections, particularly in relation to government agencies. The decision also influenced how companies may approach potential patent infringement claims involving federal entities in the future.
**Conclusion:**
Return Mail, Inc. v. USPS reinforces that under current federal patent law, government entities enjoy immunity from patent infringement claims, which can significantly impact patent enforcement efforts by private companies against federal agencies.