Magrath
Opinion of the Court
"This case is before us on petition and motion to dismiss. The plaintiff alleges that the United States letters patent No. 2,938,676 were awarded to plaintiff for an improvement in textile machinery. Draper Corporation, apparently a private corporation in the textile business, has infringed the patent. The plaintiff sued Draper in the United States District Court, District of Massachusetts, which, as plaintiff says, wrongly held that the patent was invalid. 267 F.Supp. 285 (1967). On appeal, the First Circuit arrived at the same, conclusion. 384 F.2d 672 (1967). The plaintiffs then counsel declined to petition the Supreme Court for certiorari, alleging that it was not the kind of case that Court usually took. The motion to dismiss of course relies on lack of jurisdiction in this court. To refute this, plaintiff through his new counsel asserts that he relies on his first amendment right to petition for redress of grievances.
"Assuming, arguendo, that this petition is filed in good faith and is not frivolous in its intent and purpose, the short answer to it is that the first amendment freedom to
"Defendant also makes the routine assertion that the action lies in tort, and plaintiff indignantly denies this. Indeed, the action does not lie in tort according to any tort law with which we are acquainted.
"Accordingly, on the petition, the motion to dismiss, and the briefs and representations of the parties, but without oral argument, the motion to dismiss is granted and the petition is dismissed.”
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.