Opinions

Opinions & Orders – December 14, 2020

This morning, the Federal Circuit issued five nonprecedential opinions in three veterans cases and two patent cases. The Federal Circuit also issued two Rule 36 judgments. Here are the introductions to the opinions and links to the Rule 36 judgments.

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Opinions

Opinions & Orders – December 11, 2020

This morning the Federal Circuit issued a nonprecedential opinion in a design patent case; a nonprecedential opinion in a trademark case; a nonprecedential opinion in an appeal from the Court of Veterans Appeals; a nonprecedential opinion in an appeal from the Merits Systems Protection Board; a nonprecedential order denying a motion to stay a final judgment of the Court of International Trade pending an appeal over a dissent by Judge Taranto; and two Rule 36 judgments. Here are the introductions to the opinions, text from the order; and a list of the Rule 36 judgments.

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Opinions

Opinions & Orders – December 10, 2020

This morning the Federal Circuit issued one nonprecedential opinion affirming the Patent Trial and Appeal Board’s denial of a motion to dismiss, which the Board of Regents of the University of Texas System filed on the ground of sovereign immunity in an inter partes review proceeding. The court also issued six Rule 36 summary affirmances. Here is the text of the opinion and a list of the Rule 36 judgments.

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Opinions

Opinions & Orders – December 9, 2020

This morning the Federal Circuit issued three non precedential opinions: one affirming a decision by the U.S. Court of Veterans Appeals in favor of Veterans Affairs; one affirming a district court’s order granting a motion for attorneys’ fees in a patent case; and one affirming an arbitrator’s sustaining of a dismissal of a federal employee from her employment. Here are the introductions to the opinions.

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Opinions

Opinions & Orders – December 8, 2020

This morning the Federal Circuit issued a prededential en banc opinion in a veterans case, National Organization of Veterans Advocates, Inc. v. Secretary of Veterans Affairs, concluding that the Federal Circuit had jurisdiction over the case and that a Federal Circuit rule is invalid given the applicable statute of limitations. The court also issued a nonprecedential opinion in another veterans case and a nonprecedential opinion in a patent case. Here are the introductions to the opinions.

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Opinions

Opinions & Orders – December 7, 2020

This morning the Federal Circuit issued three opinions: a precedential opinion in a patent case; a precedential opinion in a case appealed from the Merit Systems Protection Board; and a nonprecedential opinion in another case appealed from the Merit Systems Protection Board. Here are the introduction to the opinions.

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Opinions

Opinions & Orders – December 4, 2020

This morning the Federal Circuit issued a precedential opinion addressing jurisdiction in an appeal from the Merit Systems Protection Board; a precedential order denying a petition for panel and en banc rehearing in an appeal from the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board over a dissent by Judge Wallach; and a nonprecedential erratum correcting a typographical error in an opinion issued in trade case yesterday. Here is the introductions to the opinions and text from the erratum.

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Opinions

Opinions & Orders – December 3, 2020

This morning the Federal Circuit issued a precedential opinion affirming in part, reversing in part, and remanding a decision of the U.S. Court of International Trade in an antidumping case. Here is the introduction to the opinion.

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Opinions

Opinions & Orders – December 2, 2020

The Federal Circuit did not publish any opinions or orders this morning.

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Opinions / Panel Activity

Opinion Summary – Albright v. United States

As we reported this morning, earlier today the Federal Circuit decided Albright v. United States, a takings case we have been following because it attracted an amicus brief. Chief Judge Prost authored today’s unanimous panel opinion affirming the Court of Federal Claim’s conclusion that the federal government did not commit any taking under the Fifth Amendment. In particular, the courts agreed that, when the government converted a particular railroad line into a recreational trail, no taking occurred because at that time the plaintiffs-appellants did not have a property interest in the railroad line. Their predecessors-in-interest, the courts ruled, did not grant easements to the railroad line but, instead, “fee simple absolute title” ownership of the land in question. This is our opinion summary.

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