Samsung Electronics v. Apple
137 S. Ct. 429 · Decided December 6, 2016 · 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
Samsung Electronics v. Apple was decided on December 6, 2016 unanimously (8–0). The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Patents” in the Economic Activity area.
Read the opinion
- CourtListener (Free Law Project) — opinion text
- Supreme Court of the United States — slip opinions, October Term 2016
Case details
- Citations
- 137 S. Ct. 429 · 196 L. Ed. 2d 363 · 2016 U.S. LEXIS 7419
- Docket number
- 15-777
- Decided
- December 6, 2016
- Argued
- October 11, 2016
- Court era
- Roberts Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 8–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- Sonia Sotomayor
- Opinion assigned by
- John G. Roberts Jr.
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Patents
- Issue area
- Economic Activity
- Legal provision
- Patent Act
- Type of law
- Infrequently litigated statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Majority | |
| Justice Clarence Thomas | Majority | |
| Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg | Majority | |
| Justice Stephen G. Breyer | Majority | |
| Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Sonia Sotomayor | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Elena Kagan | Majority |
Full case caption
Samsung Electronics v. Apple
SCDB identifiers: case 2016-001, docket 2016-001-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Patents”
- Life Technologies Corp. v. Promega Corp.
- Sca Hygiene Prods. Aktiebolag v. First Quality Baby Prods., LLC
- Cuozzo Speed Technologies, LLC v. Lee
- Impression Products v. Lexmark International
- Halo Electronics v. Pulse Electronics
- Sandoz Inc. v. Amgen Inc.
Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)
- State Farm Fire & Casualty Co. v. United States
- Life Technologies Corp. v. Promega Corp.
- Sca Hygiene Prods. Aktiebolag v. First Quality Baby Prods., LLC
- Star Athletica, L.L.C. v. Varsity Brands, Inc.
- Czyzewski v. Jevic Holding Corp.
- Kindred Nursing Centers v. Clark
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