Bilski v. Kappos: The Blockbuster That Was a Bust

Every year there's a much hyped movie that everyone expects will be a big hit. But, sometimes, those highly anticipated movies are more bust than blockbuster. For patent lawyers, Bilski v. Kappos was the most eagerly anticipated Supreme Court decision in years — a decision on the patentability of business methods, the primary type of patent asserted against direct marketers that operate e–commerce websites. Unfortunately, when the Supreme Court finally issued its decision at the end of June, Bilski turned out to be this year’s Waterworld.