Bilski v. Kappos: The Blockbuster That Was a Bust

Complaints in most patent cases provide only the most bare-bones details — little more than, “We own a patent, you operate a website, send money.” In short, direct marketers sued for patent infringement based on a vague and unspecified “method” of operating their websites face the prospect of spending millions to litigate, and lose, in a faraway jurisdiction. It's scarcely surprising, therefore, that nearly 90 percent of all patent cases settle before trial.