Here is a report on recent news and commentary related to the Federal Circuit and its cases. Today we highlight:
- an article discussing how, “[o]n the eve of the 250th anniversary of Independence Day, in the nation’s capital, the Federal Circuit Center for Innovation and Law invited the public to the Justice Up Close, History All Around civics program to explore how law, innovation, science, and civic action have shaped the nation”;
- a blog post highlighting how USPTO Deputy Director Coke Morgan Stewart “announced this week that she will be leaving the Office as of this Friday”; and
- a blog post noting how “[n]early four dozen Democrats are calling for the reversal of a key Merit Systems Protection Board decision that they say could greatly expand presidential firing powers across the career federal workforce.”
USCourts.gov published an article discussing how, “[o]n the eve of the 250th anniversary of Independence Day, in the nation’s capital, the Federal Circuit Center for Innovation and Law invited the public to the Justice Up Close, History All Around civics program to explore how law, innovation, science, and civic action have shaped the nation.” The article explains how “1,500 attendees moved from immersive digital exhibits to real courtrooms, saw space artifacts, heard stories of invention, protest, and progress, and learned how past legal questions shaped America’s future.”
Eileen McDermott wrote a blog post for IPWatchdog highlighting how USPTO Deputy Director Coke Morgan Stewart “announced this week that she will be leaving the Office as of this Friday.” McDermott notes how “[t]he ‘settled expectations’ doctrine came into play under then-Acting Director . . . Stewart, who explained that while there is no bright-line rule, ‘the longer the patent has been in force, the more settled expectations should be.'” As explained by McDermott, “USPTO Director John Squires has continued to rely on the doctrine to reject” institution of inter partes review proceedings.
Drew Friedman penned a blog post for the Federal News Network noting how “[n]early four dozen Democrats are calling for the reversal of a key Merit Systems Protection Board decision that they say could greatly expand presidential firing powers across the career federal workforce.” Friedman notes how, “[i]n an amicus brief filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, 46 House and Senate lawmakers warned that MSPB’s March decision upholding the firings of two federal immigration judges will ultimately erode civil service protections for ‘countless’ federal employees.” For more information on the underlying case, see the case page in Jackler v. Department of Justice.