Patent Small Claims Pitch, Long Dormant, Revived by Agency

The US Patent and Trademark Office has resurrected the decades-old notion of establishing a small claims patent court, as a similar board focused on lower-dollar copyright disputes comes closer to opening its doors.

The patent agency is accepting until July 5 public input on the need for such a tribunal, practical and procedural issues that should be weighed, and other legal considerations. If the PTO moves forward with the idea, however, the tribunal will bear little resemblance to its copyright counterpart, which could begin hearing cases in June, attorneys say.

The Copyright Claims Board is expected to provide a less ...