This course aims to familiarize students with the history, doctrine, and politics of U.S. patent law. Patents have often been understood as limited-term monopolies granted by the federal government to incentivize and reward "novel" and "nonobvious" innovations in countless industries, from pharmaceuticals to agriculture to fashion design. The evolving statutes, regulations, and case law governing the availability and enforcement of patent rights have sometimes struck a defensible balance among the interests of inventors, investors, and the general public. Just as often, however, the system has proved inefficient and unworkable, yielding thickets of questionable "rights" over marginal "improvements" to existing technology. How do/can/should the Patent Office, courts, and attorneys decide where and how to draw the lines, and how might patent law -- a major component of U.S. technology and innovation policy -- be adjusted to rectify its most flagrant imbalances and inefficiencies? In this course, we will tackle these and other issues; required readings, though sometimes challenging, assume no prior knowledge of science or technology. (At the same time, students whose scientific backgrounds qualify them to pursue licensure with the USPTO are especially encouraged to enroll, given the projected shortage of patent "prosecutors" in the near future.) Introductory course; no prerequisites; open to past enrollees of LAW 520H.