Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University v. Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.

Summary

The Supreme Court held that the Bayh-Dole Act does not automatically vest title to federally funded inventions in federal contractors; inventors retain their rights unless they assign them to another party. The Court affirmed the Federal Circuit’s decision that Stanford lacked standing because Holodniy assigned his rights to Cetus. Justice Breyer dissented, arguing the Act implies contractors typically acquire invention rights from employees.