Late yesterday, the Federal Circuit released a nonprecedential order dismissing an appeal. This morning, the Federal Circuit released two nonprecedential opinions and two nonprecedential orders. Both nonprecedential opinions come in patent cases. Of the nonprecedential orders, one dismisses a petition for a writ of mandamus and the other grants and denies several motions. Here are the introductions to the opinions and orders other than the dismissal as well as a link to the dismissal.
Opinion Summary – Merck Sharp & Dohme B.V. v. Aurobindo Pharma USA, Inc.
Earlier this month the Federal Circuit released its opinion in Merck Sharp & Dohme B.V. v. Aurobindo Pharma USA, Inc., a patent case that attracted an amicus brief. The issue on appeal in this case was whether patent term extension for a reissued patent “should be calculated based on the issue date of the original patent or the reissued patent.” The Federal Circuit reviewed a district court determination that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office correctly calculated a reissued patent term extension based on the patent’s original issue date. In an opinion authored by Judge Dyk and joined by Judges Mayer and Reyna, the Federal Circuit affirmed the lower court’s determination. This is our opinion summary.
Opinions & Orders – March 26, 2025
This morning, the Federal Circuit released one nonprecedential opinion and two nonprecedential orders. The lone nonprecedential opinion comes in a patent case on appeal from Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Of the nonprecedential orders, one dismisses an appeal and the other grants a motion to summarily affirm a decision of the Court of Federal Claims. Here are the introductions to the opinion and order grating the motion to summarily affirm as well as a link to the dismissal.
Opinions & Orders – March 25, 2025
This morning, the Federal Circuit released two nonprecedential opinions and one nonprecedential order. Both nonprecedential opinions affirm decisions of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. The lone nonprecedential order grants an unopposed motion to dismiss cross-appeals and withdraw appeals from decisions of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Here are the introductions to the opinions and order.
Opinion Summary – AliveCor, Inc. v. International Trade Commission
Earlier this month the Federal Circuit also released its opinion in AliveCor, Inc. v. International Trade Commission, a patent case that we have been following because it attracted several amicus briefs. In this case, the Federal Circuit was asked to review a judgment of the International Trade Commission in a patent infringement case that resulted in a limited exclusion order restricting importation of Apple’s watch products. In a per curium opinion issued by a panel including Judges Hughes, Linn, and Stark, however, the Federal Circuit vacated the Commission’s decision and remanded the case with instructions to dismiss the case as moot. This is our opinion summary.
Opinion Summary – AliveCor, Inc. v. Apple, Inc.
Earlier this month the Federal Circuit issued its opinion in AliveCor, Inc. v. Apple, Inc., a patent case that we have been following because it attracted an amicus brief. In this case, the Federal Circuit reviewed three written decisions of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board in related inter partes review proceedings. The PTAB found all claims of three patents unpatentable over certain asserted prior art. AliveCor challenged the PTAB’s findings, including by arguing that the IPR petitioner, Apple, violated its discovery obligations. The Federal Circuit, in an opinion authored by Judge Stark and joined by Judges Hughes and Linn, affirmed the PTAB’s obviousness determination and declined to address AliveCor’s discovery challenge because it failed to raise the issue at the PTAB. This is our opinion summary.
Opinions & Orders – March 24, 2025
This morning, the Federal Circuit released three precedential opinions, four nonprecedential opinions, and a nonprecedential order. Of the precedential opinions, two come in patent cases on appeal from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board and the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and the other comes in a takings case on appeal from the Court of Federal Claims. Of the nonprecedential opinions, two come in pro se appeals, one comes in a veterans case, and the other comes in a patent case on appeal from the Court of Federal Claims. The lone nonprecedential order dismisses an appeal. Here are the introductions to the opinions and a link to the dismissal.
Opinions & Orders – March 21, 2025
Late yesterday the Federal Circuit released two nonprecedential orders dismissing appeals. Today the Federal Circuit released two precedential opinions. In the first, the court affirmed a judgment of the Court of Federal Claims in an appeal of a tax case addressing whether patent litigation expenses are deductible and need not be capitalized. In the second, the Federal Circuit vacated in part a judgment of the District of Massachusetts in a patent case based on a misconstruction of a claim term. Here are the introductions to the opinions and links to the dismissals.
Opinions & Orders – March 20, 2025
Late yesterday, the Federal Circuit released two nonprecedential orders, each dismissing an appeal. This morning, the Federal Circuit released two nonprecedential orders, each granting a motion to withdraw an appeal. Here is the introduction to the substantive nonprecedential order dismissing an appeal and a link to the other nonprecedential orders.
Opinions & Orders – March 19, 2025
Late yesterday, the Federal Circuit released a precedential order sua sponte granting en banc review of an appeal from the Court of Federal Claims. In the order, the Federal Circuit requests new briefing related to the effect of the Supreme Court’s decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo. This morning, the Federal Circuit released four precedential opinions, one nonprecedential opinion, three nonprecedential orders, and an errata. Of the precedential opinions, one comes in a patent case, one comes in a trademark case, one comes in a government contract case, and the other comes in a veterans case. The lone nonprecedential opinion comes in a pro se appeal. Of the nonprecedential orders, one grants a motion to summarily affirm and the other two dismiss appeals. Here are the introductions to the opinions and orders as well as links to the errata and dismissals.