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The Number of Patents Has Exploded Since 1982, and One Court Is to Blame

April 7, 2015

By Eli Dourado

The US Constitution vests Congress with the power to extend patents to inventors to “promote the progress of science and useful arts.” In recent years, however, patents have too often hindered innovation and economic growth. Patents for trivial or non-original functions have served as a basis for groundless “troll” lawsuits against innocent parties. The number of these destructive patent claims dramatically increased after a special patent court was created in the 1980s. The patent problem has to be addressed at its roots to reinvigorate the nation’s innovative capacity...

Read the full commentary at the Mercatus Center: The Number of Patents Has Exploded Since 1982, and One Court Is to Blame

Issue Categories : Judiciary, Regulations