FedCircuitBlog

This morning the Federal Circuit released two precedential opinions, a nonprecedential opinion, a summary affirmance under Federal Circuit Rule 36, and a nonprecedential order dismissing an appeal. The first precedential opinion comes in a patent case appealed from the Western District of Virginia. The Federal Circuit reversed a jury verdict of no invalidity based on a prior offer for sale in the United States. The second precedential opinion comes in a case appealed from the Court of Federal Claims. The Federal Circuit affirmed a grant of summary judgment that rejected illegal exaction claims. The nonprecedential opinion comes in a patent case appealed from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. The Federal Circuit affirmed a holding invalidating claims for obviousness. Here are the introductions to the opinions and links to the Rule 36 judgment and dismissal.

Here is a report on recent news and commentary related to the Federal Circuit and its cases. Today’s report highlights:

• an article discussing how Judge Newman, “the nation’s oldest active federal judge, asked the D.C. Circuit to end a suspension imposed by her colleagues that prevents her from hearing cases at the Federal Circuit”;
• remarks by retired Federal Circuit Chief Judge Paul Michel on Judge Newman’s case at the D.C. Circuit;
• an article highlighting how Illinois Senator Dick Durbin and the Electronic Frontier Foundation have taken opposite sides on the PREVAIL Act; and
• an opinion piece by retired Federal Circuit Chief Judge Paul Michel suggesting “lawmakers should do everything they can to pass” the PREVAIL Act “promptly.”

This morning the Federal Circuit released four precedential opinions and three nonprecedential opinions. The first precedential opinion comes in a trade case and affirms in part, vacates in part, and remands the case to the Court of International Trade. Notably, Judge Stark concurred in part and dissenting in part from the majority’s judgment. The second precedential opinion comes in a case challenging a final rule of the Department of Veterans Affairs that changed how the VA pays for noncontract ground and air ambulance transports for eligible beneficiaries. The Federal Circuit set aside the final rule. The third precedential opinion comes in a patent case. In this third case the Federal Circuit affirmed a judgment of the District of Delaware over challenges to two of the lower court’s claim constructions. The fourth precedential opinion comes in a case dismissed by the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims for lack of jurisdiction. All three of the nonprecedential opinions come in pro se appeals. Here are the introductions to the opinions.

This morning the Federal Circuit released a precedential opinion in a design patent case appealed from the Eastern District of Arkansas. The Federal Circuit also released six nonprecedential opinions in a patent case appealed from the District of Delaware, two cases appealed from the Court of Federal Claims, a case appealed from the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, and two cases appealed from the Merit Systems Protection Board. The Federal Circuit also released a summary affirmance under Rule 36. Here are the introductions to the opinions and a link to the summary affirmance.

Late yesterday the Federal Circuit released a precedential order in one of the court’s pending en banc cases instructing a party not to respond to the other party’s argument because it exceeds the scope of the court’s en banc rehearing. The court also released three nonprecedential orders dismissing appeals. This morning, the court released three nonprecedential opinions, one in a patent case and two in pro se cases, and a nonprecedential order dismissing an appeal. Here are the introductions to the opinions and precedential order and links to the dismissals.

Here is a report on recent news and commentary related to the Federal Circuit and its cases. Today’s report highlights:

• an article reporting how the Supreme Court recently “rejected a bid to review decisions invalidating a patent owned by a background-check software maker that had argued that an appellate judge’s suspension had hurt its case”;
• a blog post highlighting two Supreme Court petitions the author suggests “provide [an] opportunity to address a longstanding problem with the Federal Circuit’s practice of issuing no-opinion summary affirmances in patent cases”; and 
• an article discussing the Federal Circuit’s decision “to rehear a high-profile decision that revived an artificial intelligence company’s protest over its exclusion from a $376.4 million procurement.” 

Late yesterday, the Federal Circuit released a nonprecedential order dismissing an appeal. This morning, in turn, the court released five nonprecedential opinions, four in patent cases and one in a case appealed from the Merit Systems Protection Board. The court also released three nonprecedential orders granting summary affirmances under Rule 36 and another nonprecedential order dismissing an appeal. Here are the introductions to the opinions and links to the summary affirmances and dismissals.

This morning the Federal Circuit released two nonprecedential opinions in pro se cases and two summary affirmances pursuant to Federal Circuit Rule 36. Here are the introductions to the opinions and links to the summary affirmances.

The Federal Circuit today announced that the most recent amendments to the Federal Circuit’s Rules of Practice go into effect today. The court also provided links to updated rules, forms, and guides. Here is the full text of today’s announcement.

This morning the Federal Circuit released a nonprecedential opinion in a case appealed from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. The court affirmed the PTAB’s decision that certain claims are unpatentable as obvious. Here is the introduction to the opinion.