Wicks v. Commissioner of Patents, 2008 FCA 96

Date: 20080312

Dockets: A-164-07

A-165-07

A-166-07

A-167-07

A-168-07

A-169-07

 

Citation: 2008 FCA 96

 

CORAM:       LÉTOURNEAU J.A.

                        NADON J.A. 

                        SHARLOW J.A.                                           

                       

Docket: A-164-07

BETWEEN:

HARRY O. WICKS

Appellant

and

 

THE COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS

Respondent

 

Docket: A-165-07

AND BETWEEN:

 

HARRY O. WICKS

Appellant

and

 

THE COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS

Respondent

 

Docket: A-166-07

AND BETWEEN:

HARRY O. WICKS

Appellant

and

 

THE COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS

Respondent

Docket: A-167-07

AND BETWEEN:

 

HARRY O. WICKS

Appellant

and

 

THE COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS

Respondent

 

Docket: A-168-07

AND BETWEEN:

 

HARRY O. WICKS

Appellant

and

 

THE COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS

Respondent

 

Docket: A-169-07

AND BETWEEN:

 

HARRY O. WICKS

Appellant

and

 

THE COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS

Respondent

 

Heard at Toronto, Ontario, on March 12, 2008.

Judgment delivered from the Bench at Toronto, Ontario, on March 12, 2008.

 

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE COURT BY:                                    SHARLOW J.A.

 

Date: 20080312

Dockets: A-164-07

A-165-07

A-166-07

A-167-07

A-168-07

A-169-07

 

Citation: 2008 FCA 96

 

CORAM:       LÉTOURNEAU J.A.

                        NADON J.A. 

                        SHARLOW J.A.                                           

                       

Docket: A-164-07

BETWEEN:

HARRY O. WICKS

Appellant

and

 

THE COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS

Respondent

 

Docket: A-165-07

AND BETWEEN:

 

HARRY O. WICKS

Appellant

and

 

THE COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS

Respondent

 

Docket: A-166-07

AND BETWEEN:

HARRY O. WICKS

Appellant

and

 

THE COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS

Respondent

Docket: A-167-07

AND BETWEEN:

 

HARRY O. WICKS

Appellant

and

 

THE COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS

Respondent

 

Docket: A-168-07

AND BETWEEN:

 

HARRY O. WICKS

Appellant

and

 

THE COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS

Respondent

 

Docket: A-169-07

AND BETWEEN:

 

HARRY O. WICKS

Appellant

and

 

THE COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS

Respondent

 

 

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE COURT

(Delivered from the Bench at Toronto, Ontario, on March 12, 2008)

 

 

SHARLOW J.A.

[1]               These are six appeals from judgments of Justice Layden-Stevenson dated February 26, 2007 (2007 FC 222) dismissing six applications for judicial review of decisions of the Commissioner of Patents declaring two of Mr. Wicks’ patent applications to have been irrevocably abandoned.

 

[2]               Mr. Wicks had attempted to save his patent applications on the basis of section 78.6 of the Patent Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. P-4. Justice Layden-Stevenson concluded that section 78.6 applies to permit a top-up payment when a patent applicant incorrectly pays an annual maintenance fee at the “small entity” rate rather than the “large entity” rate, but it cannot be used to remedy a subsequent complete failure to pay an annual maintenance fee. We agree with her conclusion, substantially for the reasons she gave.

 

[3]               Despite the able submissions of Mr. Zarnett, we have concluded that these appeals must be dismissed with costs (limited to one set of costs for the hearing).

 

 

 

“K. Sharlow”

FEDERAL COURT OF APPEAL

 

NAMES OF COUNSEL AND SOLICITORS OF RECORD

 

DOCKETS:                                        A-164-07, A-165-07, A-166-07, A-167-07, A-168-07,

                                                            A-169-07

 

(AN APPEAL FROM AN ORDER OF THE HONOURABLE MADAM JUSTICE LAYDEN-STEVENSON, DATED FEBRUARY 26, 2007, FOR A JUDICIAL REVIEW IN FEDERAL COURT FILE NO. T-527-06, WAS DISMISSED.)

 

STYLE OF CAUSE:                          HARRY O. WICKS v. THE COMMISSIONER OF

PATENTS

                       

PLACE OF HEARING:                    TORONTO, ONTARIO

 

DATE OF HEARING:                      MARCH 12, 2008

 

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT

OF THE COURT BY:                       (LÉTOURNEAU, NADON & SHARLOW JJ.A.)

 

DELIVERED FROM THE

BENCH BY:                                       SHARLOW J.A.

 

APPEARANCES:

 

Benjamin Zarnett Richard Naiberg	FOR THE APPELLANT
Banafsheh Sokhansanj	FOR THE RESPONDENT

 

 

SOLICITORS OF RECORD:

 

GOODMANS LLP Barristers and Solicitors Toronto, Ontario	FOR THE APPELLANT
John H. Sims, Q.C. Deputy Attorney General of Canada	FOR THE RESPONDENT