Microsoft Corporation, Petitioner v. I4i Limited Partnership et al.

Decided June 9, 2011. Sonia Sotomayor delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 10-290 · 564 U.S. 91 (2011) · Cited 825 times

Holding

Section 282 requires an invalidity defense to be proved by clear and convincing evidence.

The Court’s statement of the holding, from the opinion’s syllabus. The syllabus is prepared by the Reporter of Decisions and is not part of the opinion of the Court — read the official opinion for authority.

How the Justices voted

Decided 8–0.

“Concurring” means agreeing with the outcome; any split shown is the Court’s judgment, not each Justice’s reasoning. Source: the Supreme Court Database (Spaeth et al.), Washington University.

Precedents cited

Supreme Court decisions this opinion relies on, ordered by how often it cites each. Cases in our collection link through; others are named.

• Radio Corp. of America v. Radio Engineering Laboratories, Inc. · 293 U.S. 1 (1934)
• KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc. · 550 U.S. 398 (2007)
• Smith v. Hall · 301 U.S. 216 (1937)
• Neder v. United States · 527 U.S. 1 (1999)
• Graham v. John Deere Co. of Kansas City · 383 U.S. 1 (1966)
• Coffin v. Ogden · 85 U.S. 120 (1874)
• Addington v. Texas · 441 U.S. 418 (1979)
• Duncan v. Walker · 533 U.S. 167 (2001)
• Safeco Insurance Co. of America v. Burr · 551 U.S. 47 (2007)
• The Barbed Wire Patent · 143 U.S. 275 (1892)
• Pfaff v. Wells Electronics, Inc. · 525 U.S. 55 (1998)
• Beck v. Prupis · 529 U.S. 494 (2000)
• Steadman v. Securities & Exchange Commission · 450 U.S. 91 (1981)
• Santosky v. Kramer · 455 U.S. 745 (1982)
• Grogan v. Garner · 498 U.S. 279 (1991)
• MARKMAN Et Al. v. WESTVIEW INSTRUMENTS, INC., Et Al. · 517 U.S. 370 (1996)
• Morissette v. United States · 342 U.S. 246 (1952)
• Nationwide Mutual Insurance v. Darden · 503 U.S. 318 (1992)
• United States v. Detroit Timber & Lumber Co. · 200 U.S. 321 (1906)
• Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. v. Supermarket Equipment Corp. · 340 U.S. 147 (1950)
• United States v. Menasche · 348 U.S. 528 (1955)
• Dickinson v. Zurko · 527 U.S. 150 (1999)
• Corley v. United States · 556 U.S. 303 (2009)
• Rent-A-Center, West, Inc. v. Jackson · 561 U.S. 63 (2010)
• Schaffer Ex Rel. Schaffer v. Weast · 546 U.S. 49 (2005)
• Bonito Boats, Inc. v. Thunder Craft Boats, Inc. · 489 U.S. 141 (1989)
• Director, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs v. Greenwich Collieries · 512 U.S. 267 (1994)
• Bruesewitz v. Wyeth LLC · 562 U.S. 223 (2011)
• Cantrell v. Wallick · 117 U.S. 689 (1886)
• Engine Manufacturers Ass'n v. South Coast Air Quality Management District · 541 U.S. 246 (2004)

Cited by

Later Supreme Court opinions in our collection that cite this case.

• Commil United States, LLC v. Cisco Sys., Inc. · 575 U.S. 632 (2015)
• Seila Law LLC v. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau · 591 U.S. 197 (2020)
• Cuozzo Speed Technologies, LLC v. Lee · 579 U.S. 261 (2016)
• Lockhart v. United States · 577 U.S. 347 (2016)
• SCA Hygiene Products Aktiebolag v. First Quality Baby Products, LLC · 580 U.S. 328 (2017)
• Thryv, Inc. v. Click-To-Call Technologies, LP · 590 U.S. 45 (2020)
• Nautilus, Inc. v. Biosig Instruments, Inc. · 572 U.S. 898 (2014)
• E.M.D. Sales, Inc. v. Carrera · 604 U.S. 45 (2025)
• Marx v. General Revenue Corp. · 568 U.S. 371 (2013)
• Pereida v. Wilkinson · 592 U.S. 224 (2021)
• Freeman v. Quicken Loans, Inc. · 566 U.S. 624 (2012)
• Kappos v. Hyatt · 566 U.S. 431 (2012)
• Bufkin v. Collins · 604 U.S. 369 (2025)
• Polselli v. IRS · 598 U.S. 432 (2023)

Official text

Read the official opinion (U.S. Reports, govinfo.gov)

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Source: Supreme Court of the United States, slip opinions (2011). Citation count from the Free Law Project’s CourtListener bulk data. Data last verified 2026-07-03. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).