Task: songer_subevid

What follows is an opinion from a United States Court of Appeals. You will be asked a question pertaining to issues that may appear in civil law issues involving government actors. The issue is: "Did the court's interpretation of the substantial evidence rule support the government? For example, "such evidence as a reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support a conclusion" or "more than a mere scintilla". This issue is present only when the court indicates that it is using this doctrine, rather than when the court is merely discussing the evidence to determine whether the evidence supports the position of the appellant or respondent." Answer the question based on the directionality of the appeals court decision. If the court discussed the issue in its opinion and answered the related question in the affirmative, answer "Yes". If the issue was discussed and the opinion answered the question negatively, answer "No". If the opinion considered the question but gave a mixed answer, supporting the respondent in part and supporting the appellant in part, answer "Mixed answer". If the opinion does not discuss the issue, or notes that a particular issue was raised by one of the litigants but the court dismissed the issue as frivolous or trivial or not worthy of discussion for some other reason, answer "Issue not discussed". If the opinion considered the question but gave a "mixed" answer, supporting the respondent in part and supporting the appellant in part (or if two issues treated separately by the court both fell within the area covered by one question and the court answered one question affirmatively and one negatively), answer "Mixed answer". If the opinion either did not consider or discuss the issue at all or if the opinion indicates that this issue was not worthy of consideration by the court of appeals even though it was discussed by the lower court or was raised in one of the briefs, answer "Issue not discussed".

PER CURIAM.
This is an appeal from a final judgment entered in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, dismissing with prejudice appellant’s complaint of infringement of his patent on an underground drainage and disposal system.
Holding appellant’s device unpatentable and the patent invalid by reason of lack of novelty and invention, the trial court entered findings of fact to the effect that the drainage and disposal system on which the patent had been issued had no new, different, or inventive principle, function, or advantage over the prior art and use in the field, in that all of its features were found to be mere mechanical equivalents of the prior art and use. It was found that the basic features of the patented device, its method of operation, and its appearance were substantially identical to various known drainage devices in use for many years prior to the application for the patent, with the only differences being those of form or shape, without differences in theory, structure, function, or purpose. See 35 U.S.C. §§ 101, 102. In addition, the court found that the device described in the patent was merely the adaptation of the teachings of the prior art and public use, with the addition of no more than the ordinary mechanical skill reasonably to be expected in the field, all of which would be obvious to persons of ordinary skill in the art pertaining to the subject matter of the patent. See 35 U.S.C. § 103.
Findings of fact by the trial court in patent cases are conclusive upon appeal, unless they are found to be clearly erroneous. Fed.R.Civ.P. rule 52(a), 28 U.S.C.; Fairchild v. Poe, 259 F.2d 329 (5th Cir. 1958). Our examination of the record reveals that the findings of the trial court were supported by substantial evidence, and were not erroneous.
The finding that the device was unpatentable and the patent invalid is a fully reviewable question of law. Smith v. Nichols, 88 U.S. 112, 118, 22 L.Ed. 566 (1874); Little Mule Corp. v. The Lug All Co., 254 F.2d 268, 275 (5th Cir. 1958); Fritz W. Glitsch & Sons, Inc. v. Wyatt Metal and Boiler Works, 224 F.2d 331, 335 (5th Cir. 1955). Upon the facts found, we are of the opinion that the court was correct in concluding that appellant’s device was unpatentable, and that the claims for relief because of infringement were therefore without merit. Because we affirm the findings of the trial court that the device did not meet the requisite standard of invention and was anticipated by the prior art, we find it unnecessary to pass upon appellant’s strongly urged contention that the court erred in the admission of evidence of prior public use.
The judgment is
Affirmed.

Question: Did the court's interpretation of the substantial evidence rule support the government? For example, "such evidence as a reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support a conclusion" or "more than a mere scintilla". This issue is present only when the court indicates that it is using this doctrine, rather than when the court is merely discussing the evidence to determine whether the evidence supports the position of the appellant or respondent.
A. No
B. Yes
C. Mixed answer
D. Issue not discussed
Answer:

Answer: D