Markman hearing

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A Markman hearing is a pre-trial hearing in the United States court system during which a judge hears testimony from both parties on the appropriate meanings of the relevant key words used in the claims of a patent, the infringement of which is alleged by the plaintiff.

To hold a Markman hearing in patent infringement cases has been common practice since it was determined by the United States Supreme Court in the case of Markman v. Westview Instruments, Inc. that the language of a patent is a matter of law for a judge to decide, not a matter of fact for a jury to decide.