Reforming Patent Law Reform, 4 J. Marshall Rev. Intell. Prop. L. 336 (2005)

The current proposals to change the patent laws are described by proponents as patent law “reform.” In the 215 year history of the United States patent system, Congress has rarely purported to “reform” the system. Indeed, I am not sure that it has ever done so since the 1836 Act—or even since the 1793 Act. If we are to have “reform,” Congress should reform the system for the better of all concerned according to neutral principles.