March 10, 2010 - A new feature by EETimes presents both sides of the patent reform argument.

Pat Choate, a member of the AIPR Board of Directors, discusses why the amended Senate patent bill (S. 515) and its House companion (H.R. 1260) have the potential to make patent infringement easier and less costly while weakening issued patents.

Gary Griswold, chairman of the Coalition for 21st Century Patent Reform, defends the patent reform legislation, comparing it to the patent reform that brought about the formation of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit - the court that hears appeals in patent cases - in 1982.

Not all reforms are equal, however. Choate argues that changing to a first-to-file regime will cause a mad dash to the Patent Office, which will lead to an increase in incomplete and poor quality patent applications and an even heavier workload for patent examiners.

To read both sides of the story, see "Point/Counterpoint: Do you support patent reform?" on EETimes.com.