Insights
Client Alert
Federal Circuit Clarifies That Foreseeability Does Not Preclude the Application of the Doctrine of Equivalents
February 20, 2014
BY ERIC W. DITTMANN, ISAAC S. ASHKENAZI, & MAX H. YUSEM
On February 19, 2014, the Federal Circuit issued a unanimous decision clarifying that the foreseeability of an alleged equivalent at the time of patenting is not a bar to a finding of infringement under the doctrine of equivalents, effectively removing an often-asserted noninfringement argument by alleged infringers. Ring & Pinion Service Inc. v. Arb Corp. Ltd., No. 2013-1238 (Fed. Cir. Feb. 19, 2014). Read the decision here.
Contributors
![Image: Max H. Yusem](http://images.ctfassets.net/t0ydv1wnf2mi/115763_Prof_HiRes/70a4a52eb8fe39ffe8a4fface34b635a/115763.jpg)
![Image: Eric W. Dittmann](http://images.ctfassets.net/t0ydv1wnf2mi/111265_Prof_HiRes/a2d3dbce74371b48265566bc25c223de/111265.jpg)
![Image: Isaac S. Ashkenazi](http://images.ctfassets.net/t0ydv1wnf2mi/110971_Prof_HiRes/0afd6cf987ee77f42b06b85dab678ea3/110971.jpg)