In re Chakrabarty’s Empirical Analysis
571 F.2d 40 · 1978
Citation profile
Relationships
Applies 35 U.S.C. § 101 · 35 U.S.C. § 112 · 7 U.S.C. § 2321 (Patent and Plant Variety Protection Remedy Clarification Act)
Relies on The M/v 'Tungus' v. Skovgaard E · Funk Bros. Seed Co. v. Kalo Inoculant Co. · Platt v. Union Pacific Railroad · American Fruit Growers, Inc. v. Brogdex Co. · Federal Trade Commission v. A. P. W. Paper Co.
Most-quoted passages
The sentences later courts lift from this opinion, ranked by how many decisions quote each — the parts of the opinion doing the work. These counts are smaller than the citation total above because most of the 3 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.
“Extrachromosomal element ... a hereditary unit that is physically separate from the chromosome of the cell; the terms “extrachromosomal element” and “plasmid ” are synonymous; when physically separated from the chromosome, some plasmids can be transmitted at high frequency to other cells, the transfer being without associated chromosomal transfer. [Second emphasis added.] * * * * * * Plasmids are believed to consist of double-stranded DNA [deoxyribonucleic acid] molecules. The genetic organization of a plasmid is believed to include at least one replication site and a maintenance site for attachment thereof to a structural component of the host cell. * * * * * * Degradative pathway . . . a sequence of enzymatic reactions (e. g. 5 to 10 enzymes are produced by the microbe) converting the primary substrate [i. e., oil] to some simple common metabolite, a normal food substance for microorganisms.”
1 later decision quote this exact passagee.g. In re Bergy“[T]he patent law is statutory. Our representative form of government requires that the enactments of its Congress must always be, at the very least, the starting point. There being no common law of patents, we should take care to fill the Holmesian interstices of the statute with judge-made law only under the gravest and most impelling circumstances.”
1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the dissente.g. In re Bergy
How this case has been treated — in progress
Whether each later court followed, distinguished, criticized, or overruled this decision. The treatment classification (task #35) runs highest-cited cases first and lights up here as it reaches this one.