Supreme Court Leaves Intact ‘Death Squad’ Patent Board (1)

The U.S. Supreme Court left intact a board that has invalidated more than 2,000 patents, resolving constitutional issues by giving a presidentially appointed official more power to overturn the board’s decisions.

The splintered decision came in a case being closely watched by the technology industry. The court said Congress violated the Constitution when it set up the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, a body that critics dubbed a “death squad” because of its tendency to toss out patents.

Writing the court’s lead opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts said the director of the Patent & Trademark Office will now have power ...