Markman v. Westview Instruments, Inc.

Markman v. Westview Instruments, Inc. (1996), was a landmark Supreme Court case that clarified how courts should interpret patent claims—the specific descriptions of an invention's features. The Court ruled that it is the judge’s role, not a jury’s, to determine the meaning of technical terms in patent claims. This decision emphasized the importance of understanding how a patent's language defines the scope of the invention, promoting consistency and clarity in patent litigation. Essentially, it established that claim interpretation is a matter of law for judges, not a question of fact for juries.