No Separate Takings Remedy Against The Government
Sep.27.2006
The Federal Circuit, in Zoltek Corp. v. United States , (No. 04-5100, September 21, 2006), denies Zoltek's petition for rehearing en banc . In a clarifying comment to the dissent, the Federal Circuit explains that private parties do in fact have a right of action against the government for unauthorized use of a patent pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1498. However, any such rights are no greater than the rights against private parties, and as the Supreme Court held in Schillinger v. United States , 155 U.S. 163 (1894), Congress has not created a separate parallel takings remedy in the Court of Federal Claims. Thus, since there would be no claim for infringement against a private party under Section 1498 in this case, there is no claim for infringement against the government.