Software and Information Industry Association Questions State Immunity

siia.jpgThe Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA) filed an amici curiae brief asking U.S. Supreme Court to hear a case where State sovereign immunity for patent infringement is at issue. The issue is whether a State waives its Eleventh Amendment immunity in patent infringement actions by regularly and voluntarily nvoking federal jurisdiction to enforce its own patent rights. The SIIA asserts that it is equitable for States to have immunity from damages for patent infringement while they are free to sue private sector organizations for violations of State held intellectual property rights. The SIIA joined the U.S. Camber of Commerce in filing the brief.

BMPG v. Calf Dept of Health Services, No. 07-956 [Docket Link] [SIIA Brief] [SIIA Press Release].