Opinions

This morning the Federal Circuit issued a precedential opinion concerning a petition for review of the Merit Systems Protection Board, a nonprecedential opinion in a trademark case, and a Rule 36 judgment. Here are the introductions to the opinions and a link to the Rule 36 judgment.

Vestal v. Department of the Treasury (Precedential)

Ms. Sarah Vestal petitions for review of a decision by the Merit Systems Protection Board (“Board”) sustaining her removal from the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) for intentionally disclosing taxpayer information to an unauthorized person. Vestal v. Dep’t of the Treasury, No. DA- 0752-19-0497-I-1, 2020 MSPB LEXIS 135 (M.S.P.B. Jan. 14, 2020) (decision available at App. 1–211) (“Decision”). We affirm.

FocusVision Worldwide, Inc. v. Information Builders, Inc. (Nonprecedential)

FocusVision Worldwide, Inc. applied to the Patent and Trademark Office to register the mark FOCUSVISION (in standard characters). Information Builders, Inc. (IBI) opposed the application on the ground that FocusVision’s mark is likely to cause confusion with IBI’s two registered FOCUS marks. Noting that FocusVision had not sought to cancel IBI’s registrations, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board sustained IBI’s opposition to FocusVision’s mark and refused to register it. Info. Builders, Inc. v. FocusVision Worldwide, Inc., No. 91237349, 2020 WL 3027606 (T.T.A.B. Apr. 30, 2020) (TTAB Opinion). We affirm.

Rule 36 Judgment