The Patents and Associated Statues Sub-area consists of:

• patent disputes concerning the exclusive right to commercially exploit inventions (inventive devices, substances, methods or processes)
• other disputes, including disputes concerning plant breeder's rights in new and distinct varieties of plants
• appeals from the Commissioner of Patents.

The NPA practice note sets out the arrangements for the management of intellectual property proceedings.

Other practice notes which may be relevant to this NPA include:

Filing fees for commencing a proceeding in this Sub-area may apply. Information about Court fees, including the fees payable and circumstances where an exemption or deferral can be given is available in Forms, Fees & Costs or from the Registry.

Parties should consider whether it is necessary to file a Genuine steps statement (Form 16) in certain proceedings in this NPA - see r 8.02 of the Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) and the Civil Dispute Resolution Act 2011 (Cth) (including sections 6, 7 and 16).

1.  Commencing Patents and Associated Statutes Sub-area proceedings

A party may apply to dispute the validity of a patent under the Patents Act 1990 (Cth). The main grounds upon which the Court can revoke a patent are as follows:

• The invention is not a patentable invention
• The patent was obtained by fraud, false suggestion or misrepresentation
• The patent does not comply with the requirements of s 40 of the Patents Act
• The patent holder does not have a legal entitlement to the patent.

2.  Applications under the Plant Breeder's Rights Act 1994

A claim for infringement of plant breeder's rights under the Plant Breeder's Act 1994 (Cth) may be commenced in the Federal Court by filing:

3.  Appeals from the Commissioner of Patents

A party who wants to appeal from a decision of the Commissioner of Patents must within 21 days of the date of the decision, file a Notice of appeal, which must include:

• the date of the decision
• whether the appeal is from the whole or a part of the decision and if only from a part of the decision, details of the part
• order(s) sought
• grounds relied on in support of each order sought.

For further procedural and case management information you should refer to the Central Practice Note and the Intellectual Property Practice Note.

• Patents Act 1990 (Cth)
• Plant Breeder's Rights Act 1994 (Cth)
• Australian Grape and Wine Authority Act 2013 (Cth)
• Evidence Act 1995 (Cth)

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