Supreme Court to hear case regarding proper standard for proving inducing infringement under 271(b)October 12, 2010

In an order today, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a case regarding the necessary intent for inducing infringement under 35 U.S.C. § 271(b). The case is Global-Tech Appliances, Inc. v. SEB S.A., docket number 10-6. The specific question presented is:

Whether the legal standard for the state of mind element of a claim for actively inducing infringement under 35 U.S.C. § 271(b) is "deliberate indifference of a known risk" that an infringement may occur, as the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit held, or "purposeful, culpable expression and conduct" to encourage an infringement, as this Court taught in MGM Studios, Inc. v. Grokster; Ltd., 545 U.S. 913, 937, 125 S. Ct. 2764,2780,162 L. Ed. 2d 781, 801 (2005)?

The Supreme Court's full order list is here. The original Federal Circuit opinion under review is here.

SCOTUSblog has the certiorari-stage documents collected here. The case is set to be argued in the current term, but no schedule has yet been set for briefing on the merits or oral argument.