Leahy/Cornyn Compromise Hammered Out?

Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee generally considered bill S. 1720 entitled Patent Transparency and Improvements Act of 2013 but held over the matter for this week. It seems there was a bit of a stalemate on the topic of litigation fee shifting and expansion of the Covered Business Method (CBM) challenge proceeding at the USPTO. Senator Cornyn (R-TX) appeared to be the most vocal. Yet, the Senate seems intent on working out a deal to keep the legislation moving. So, we may see the most recent version of the Bill later this week, further amendments to come when the bill moves to the Senate floor.

This is all despite the fact that the AIA has altered the patent assertion landscape to the point where the USPTO is being criticized for being too effective…..that would have been an April Fools joke a few years ago.