Brunette Machine Works, Ltd. v. Kockum Industries, Inc.
406 U.S. 706 · Decided June 7, 1972 · Supreme Court of the United States
Record summary. This page is generated from the Supreme Court Database’s coded data about the case. It describes who decided what, not the Court’s reasoning. Read the opinion itself before relying on it. Not legal advice.
At a glance
Brunette Machine Works, Ltd. v. Kockum Industries, Inc. was decided on June 7, 1972 unanimously (9–0). The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Thurgood Marshall wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Patents” in the Economic Activity area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 406 U.S. 706 · 92 S. Ct. 1936 · 32 L. Ed. 2d 428 · 1972 U.S. LEXIS 161
- Docket number
- 70-314
- Decided
- June 7, 1972
- Argued
- March 23, 1972
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 9–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- Thurgood Marshall
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Patents
- Issue area
- Economic Activity
- Legal provision
- 28 U.S.C. § 1391
- Type of law
- Infrequently litigated statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William O. Douglas | Majority | |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority |
Full case caption
Brunette Machine Works, Ltd. v. Kockum Industries, Inc.
SCDB identifiers: case 1971-127, docket 1971-127-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Patents”
- Deepsouth Packing Co., Inc. v. Laitram Corp.
- Blonder-Tongue Laboratories, Inc. v. University of Illinois FoundationAltered precedent
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- Standard Industries, Inc. v. Tigrett Industries, Inc.
- Anderson's-Black Rock, Inc. v. Pavement Salvage Co., Inc.
- Lear, Inc. v. AdkinsAltered precedent
Cases on the same legal provision: 28 U.S.C. § 1391
- Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad Co. v. Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen
- Pure Oil Co. v. Suarez
- Stafford, U.S. Attorney v. Briggs
- Olberding v. Illinois Central Railroad Co., Inc.
Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)
- Superintendent of Insurance of New York v. Bankers Life & Casualty Co.
- McClanahan v. Morauer & Hartzell, Inc.
- Norfolk & Western Railroad Co. v. Nemitz
- Chevron Oil Co. v. Huson
- Victory Carriers, Inc. v. Law
- O'Keeffe v. Aerojet-General Shipyards, Inc.
Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error