Brulotte v. Thys Co.

Brulotte v. Thys Co.
Argued October 20, 1964
Decided November 16, 1964
Full case nameBrulotte, et al. v. Thys Co.
Citations379 U.S. 29 (more)
85 S.Ct. 176; 13 L. Ed. 2d 99; 3 A.L.R.3d 761; 143 U.S.P.Q. 264
Case history
PriorThys Co. v. Brulotte, 62 Wn.2d 284, 382 P.2d 271 (1963); cert. granted, 376 U.S. 905 (1964).
Court membership
Chief Justice
Earl Warren
Associate Justices
Hugo Black · William O. Douglas
Tom C. Clark · John M. Harlan II
William J. Brennan Jr. · Potter Stewart
Byron White · Arthur Goldberg
Case opinions
MajorityDouglas, joined by Warren, Black, Clark, Brennan, Stewart, White, Goldberg
DissentHarlan

Brulotte v. Thys Co., 379 U.S. 29 (1964), was a Supreme Court of the United States decision holding that a contract calling for payment of patent royalties after the expiration of the licensed patent was misuse of the patent right and unenforceable under the Supremacy Clause, state contract law notwithstanding. The decision was widely subjected to academic criticism but the Supreme Court has rejected that criticism and reaffirmed the Brulotte decision in Kimble v. Marvel Entertainment, LLC.