FedCircuitBlog

Here is an update on recent activity at the Supreme Court in cases decided by the Federal Circuit. With respecct to granted cases, we are still waiting on the Supreme Court to issue opinions in one case. With respect to petitions, one new petition was filed with the Court in a patent case, three new waivers of the right to respond were filed in another patent case, and the Court denied a petition in a case raising questions related to design patent law. Here are the details.

This morning the Federal Circuit released one nonprecedential order. The order dismisses an appeal from the Eastern District of Texas for failing to file a brief in the specified time. Here is the link to the order.

Last week the Federal Circuit issued its opinion in Ireland v. United States, a Little Tucker Act case that attracted an amicus brief. In this case, the Federal Circuit reviewed a decision by the Western District of Texas to grant a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim. In an opinion authored by Judge Stoll that was joined by Judges Lourie and Linn, the Federal Circuit affirmed the judgment of the district court. The Federal Circuit held that the district court properly dismissed the case for failure to state a claim because “[t]he plain language of § 9021(b) does not create a mandatory payment obligation between the Secretary and ‘any covered individual.’” This is our opinion summary.

This morning the Federal Circuit released two precedential opinions, four nonprecedential opinions, and one nonprecedential order. The first precedential opinion comes in an en banc design patent case. In it, the en banc court overruled the long-standing Rosen-Durling test used to assess the nonobviousness of design patents. Notably, Judge Lourie concurred in the judgment, suggesting it was unnecessary to overrule Rosen and Durling. In the second precedential opinion, a panel vacated and remanded a judgment of Central District Court of California in a patent infringement case over a dissent by Judge Mayer. As for the nonprecedential opinions, the first affirms two separate dismissals by the Merit Systems Protection Board in a pro se case, the second affirms a judgment of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, the third dismisses an appeal in a veterans case for lack of jurisdiction, and the fourth affirms another dismissal by the Merit Systems Protection Board for lack of jurisdiction. The nonprecedential order is a dismissal. Here are the introductions to the opinions and links to the orders.

Today the Federal Circuit issued an en banc opinion in LKQ Corporation v. GM Global Technology Operations LLC, a design patent case. In the opinion, the en banc court overruled the long-standing Rosen-Durling test used to assess the nonobviousness of design patents. The court decided to apply “the same conditions for patentability that apply to utility patents.” Notably, Judge Lourie concurred in the judgment, suggesting it was unnecessary to overrule Rosen and Durling. Here is the introduction to the majority opinion. We will post an opinion summary later this week.

This morning the Federal Circuit released three precedential opinions, one nonprecedential opinion, and three nonprecedential orders. The first precedential opinion affirms a judgment of the District of Delaware regarding an award of attorney’s fees in a patent case. The second affirms a judgment of the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, and the third affirms a judgment of the Court of International Trade. The nonprecedential opinion partially reverses a judgment of the Court of Federal Claims in a government contract case. All of the orders are dismissals. Here are the introductions to the opinions and links to the orders.

This morning the Federal Circuit announced that Judge Richard Linn received the American Inns of Court Professionalism Award. Here is the full text of today’s announcement.

This morning the Federal Circuit released two nonprecedential opinions and five nonprecedential orders. The first opinion affirms a final decision of the Merit Systems Protection Board, which denied review and dismissed an appeal for lack of jurisdiction. The second opinion vacates and remands a judgment of the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals in a government contract case. The orders are all dismissals. Here are the introductions to the opinions and links to the orders.

Here is an update on recent activity at the Supreme Court in cases decided by the Federal Circuit. With respect to granted cases, yesterday the Supreme Court issued an opinion in Harrow v. Department of Defense, one of the two cases decided by the Federal Circuit that it is reviewing this term. With respect to petitions, the Supreme Court granted a petition in a veterans case, Bufkin v. McDonough. In addition, five new petitions were filed, four new briefs in opposition to petitions were filed, four new waivers of the right to respond were filed, and one reply brief was filed. Finally, the Court denied five petitions. Here are the details.

This morning the Federal Circuit released two precedential opinions, two nonprecedential opinions, and three nonprecedential orders. The first precedential opinion reverses and remands a judgment of the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, while the other precedential opinion affirms the Western District of Texas’s dismissal of a case for failure to state a claim. The first nonprecedential opinion affirms the dismissal of a petition for review by the Merit Systems Protection Board, and the second nonprecedential opinion affirms two final decisions by the Merit Systems Protection Board in a whistleblower case. The first nonprecedential order dismisses an appeal, while the other two nonprecedential orders grant summary affirmances under Rule 36. Here are the introductions to the opinions and links to the orders.