Mackenzie Jamieson

The court considered whether the defences of anticipation and obviousness to a patent infringement claim should be struck as an abuse of process, given a prior Patent Re-Examination Board decision.

The court held that the issues before the Board (patentability) and the court (validity) are distinct, and that the Patent Act reserves validity determinations for the courts.

The motion to strike was dismissed, allowing the defences to proceed.

The plaintiff in a patent infringement action brought a motion to compel the defendants to produce additional financial information and records relating to the use of the allegedly infringing mine doors, and to make officers available for cross-examination.

The court dismissed the motion, finding that the statement of claim did not plead an accounting of profits against the co-defendant purchaser, and that the request against the manufacturer defendant was premature as the plaintiff had not yet conducted examinations for discovery to identify specific missing documents.