Source: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/114/128/
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 11:57:58+00:00

Document:
or in which he may be found at the time of serving the writ applies to suits in equity under § 4915 Rev.Stat. to procure the issue of letters patent for an invention after rejection of the application therefor.
The official residence of the Commissioner of Patents is at Washington, in the District of Columbia.
A written acceptance by the Commissioner of Patents at Washington of service of a subpoena issued by the Circuit Court of the United States for the District of Vermont on a bill in equity filed in that court, "to have the same effect as if duly served on me by a proper officer," has no other effect than the regular service by a proper officer would have had, and waives no objection to jurisdiction, and gives no consent to be sued away from his residence or from the seat of government.
A notice by the Commissioner of Patents to counsel that he has accepted service of a subpoena in manner above described, and has received a copy of the bill, and that he shall not appear in defense notifies him that further proceedings will be taken without consent of the Commissioner to the jurisdiction of the court.
Bill in equity originally commenced against Mr. Marble as Commissioner of Patents. Mr. Butterworth, his successor, subsequently appeared below and brought the cause here on appeal. The cause was argued here on its merits and on the jurisdictional question on which it turned. The facts as to the latter are stated in the opinion of the Court.
applicant is entitled, according to law, to receive a patent for his invention as specified in his claim, or for any part thereof, as the facts in the case may appear. And such adjudication, if it be in favor of the right of the applicant, shall authorize the Commissioner to issue such patent on the applicant filing in the Patent Office a copy of the adjudication, and otherwise complying with the requirements of law. In all cases where there is no opposing party, a copy of the bill shall be served on the Commissioner, and all the expenses of the proceeding shall be paid by the applicant, whether the final decision is in his favor or not."
"WASHINGTON, D.C., October 18, 1883"
"I hereby accept service of the within subpoena, to have the same effect as if duly served on me by a proper officer, and I do hereby acknowledge the receipt of a copy thereof."
"(Office of Commissioner of Patents. Received Oct. 18, 1883.)"
"WASHINGTON, D.C. October 18, 1883"
for the invention disclosed and claimed in their application filed in this office March 30, 1880, for an improvement in milk coolers; also a subpoena to appear and answer to said bill on the 5th proximo and a certified copy of said subpoena. I herewith return the subpoena, service accepted, and have to inform you that I shall not appear in defense in said bill."
"Mr. W. E. Simonds, Hartford, Conn."
"Samuel Hill and Benjamin B. Prentice, as inventors, and the Vermont Machine Company, as assignee of said inventors, are entitled to have issued to them letters patent . . . as prayed for in the petition and bill of complaint."
No one was made defendant to the bill except the Commissioner of Patents, and Hill, Prentice, and the machine company, the complainants, were all citizens of Vermont. Benjamin Butterworth, the Commissioner of Patents, took this appeal, and the only question presented under it for our consideration is whether the Circuit Court of the District of Vermont had jurisdiction so as to bind the Commissioner by the decree which was rendered.
"No civil suit shall be brought before either of said courts [the circuit or district courts of the United States] against an inhabitant of the United States by any original process in any other district than that of which he is an inhabitant or in which he may be found at the time of serving the writ."
no doubt that this statute applies to suits brought under § 4915. The applicant is to have his remedy under that section by bill in equity, and by the adjudication "of the court having cognizance thereof, on notice to adverse parties, and other due proceedings had." A bill in equity implies a suit in equity, with process and parties. The prayer for process is one of the component parts of the structure of a bill, and its purpose is to compel the defendant to appear and abide the determination of the court on the subject matter of the proceeding. Story, Eq.Pl. § 44.
The bill in this case was filed against the Commissioner alone, and it does not appear that he was an inhabitant of the District of Vermont. The Patent Office is in the Department of the Interior, Rev.Stat. § 475, which is one of the executive departments of the government at the seat of government in the District of Columbia. Rev.Stat. § 437. The Commissioner of Patents is by law located in the Patent Office. Rev.Stat. § 476. His official residence is therefore at Washington, in the District of Columbia.
made by an officer in the District of Columbia. No appearance is thereby entered in the cause. Service of the subpoena in the District is acknowledged, but nothing more. In the letter which followed the endorsement of service, both counsel and the court were informed that the Commissioner declined to appear. The parties proceeded therefore at their own risk and without the consent of the defendant to the jurisdiction of the court. Such being the case, we are of opinion that the court was without jurisdiction, and had no authority to enter the decree which has been appealed from. The act of Congress exempts a defendant from suit in any district of which he is not an inhabitant or in which he is not found at the time of the service of the writ. It is an exemption which he may waive, but unless waived, he need not answer, and will not be bound by anything which may be done against him in his absence. What is here said, of course, does not apply to cases where the suit is brought and service is made under §§ 736, 737, and 738 of the Revised Statutes.
We reverse the decree of the circuit court and remand the cause, with instructions to dismiss the bill without prejudice, for want of jurisdiction.

References: § 4915
 § 4915
 § 44
 § 475
 § 437
 § 476