A Primer on How to Present Patents to Juries

Abstract:     
In patent cases, it is necessary to present complex scientific, technical and legal information in ways that jurors can understand. This will often pose significant challenges for practitioners.

This article is intended to assist with the task of presenting patent cases to juries. The practice tips and techniques in this article cover areas from basic patent law to infringement and invalidity to the doctrine of equivalents to prosecution history estoppel. Translating scientific and technological concepts into understandable terms is also demonstrated.

A heavy emphasis is placed on visual explanations and demonstratives, and on reducing complicated terminology into more accessible language without losing the substantive content.

The techniques herein will greatly assist patent attorneys who wish to communicate effectively with jurors, regardless of how unfamiliar the jury might initially be with the complicated subject matter necessarily present in every patent trial.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 41

Keywords: patent, litigation, techniques, jury, juries, presentation, complex, trial, advocacy, intellectual property

working papers series