Sca Hygiene Products Aktiebolag, Petitioners v. First Quality Baby Products, LLC — Breyer, J…

Summary

Justice Breyer dissents from the Court's ruling that laches cannot bar a patent infringement damages claim brought within the statutory limitations period. He argues that Congress intended to codify a century of precedent where courts uniformly applied laches to patent damages, and distinguishes the majority's reliance on Petrella v. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. given patent law's unique history, lack of offset provisions, and the policy risk that eliminating laches will encourage 'lock-in' and prejudice infringement defenses.