FedCircuitBlog

The Federal Circuit did not release any opinions today on its website given the Labor Day holiday.

This morning the Federal Circuit issued two nonprecedential opinions in a case addressing the jurisdiction of the United States Court of Federal Claims and in a patent case appealed from the District Court for the District of Delaware addressing claim construction. Here are the introductions to the opinions.

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

• a report discussing the Federal Circuit’s refusal to consider a ruling addressing alleged venue manipulation;
• an article about a Federal Circuit opinion addressing alleged inequitable conduct in the procurement of a patent; and
• an article discussing difficulty in the application of the non-obviousness patentability requirement in the context of design patents.

On August 26 the Federal Circuit issued its opinion in Larson v. McDonough, a case we have been following because it attracted an amicus brief. The case was argued before Judges Newman, Reyna, and Hughes. The judges considered whether the court should overrule what Larson characterized as the Veterans Court’s prohibition of reviewing Board of Veterans Appeals decisions regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs Schedule of Disabilities. Judge Hughes authored the court’s opinion, which reversed and remanded the case back to the Veterans Court. This is our opinion summary. 

This morning the Federal Circuit issued a precedential opinion in a case addressing the jurisdiction of the United States Court of International Trade. The court also issued a nonprecedential opinion in a case appealed from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board addressing subject matter eligibility. Finally, the court also issued four Rule 36 judgments. Here are the introductions to the opinions and links to the Rule 36 judgments.

Here is an update on recent activity at the Supreme Court in cases decided by the Federal Circuit. With respect to the Supreme Court’s October 2021 term, the Court still has not granted any petitions in cases decided by the Federal Circuit. Since our last update, moreover, no new petitions have been filed with the Court. As for pending petitions, however, five amicus briefs and a waiver of right to respond were filed in a patent case asking whether the Federal Circuit holds jurisdiction over appeals or petitions challenging denials of petitions for inter partes review. Finally, an amicus brief was filed in another patent case also addressing the appellate jurisdiction of the Federal Circuit over appeals from denials of petitions for inter partes review. Here are the details.

This afternoon, the Federal Circuit announced the swearing in of the newest judge serving on the bench of the Federal Circuit, the Honorable Tiffany P. Cunningham. Here is today’s announcement.

This morning the Federal Circuit issued three precedential opinions in cases addressing trademark cancellation, damages for patent infringement, and alleged inequitable conduct during patent prosecution. The court also issued two nonprecedential opinions in cases addressing government employment and the jurisdiction of the Court of Federal Claims. Finally, the court also issued two Rule 36 judgments. Here are the introductions to the opinions and a list of the Rule 36 judgments.

Here is an update on recent en banc activity at the Federal Circuit in patent cases. The court received a new petition raising questions related to cases requiring fair notice of asserted grounds of invalidity in an inter partes review and minimum standards of agency decision making under the Administrative Procedure Act. The court also denied a petition for rehearing en banc in a case raising a question concerning the Patent Trial and Appeal Board’s ability to deny a petition for inter partes review based on the existence of pending litigation concerning the same patents. Here are the details.

This morning the Federal Circuit issued a precedential opinion in a trade case appealed from the United States Court of International Trade. The court also issued three nonprecedential opinions in employment and veteran cases appealed from the Merit Systems Protection Board and the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims respectively. Finally, the court also issued six Rule 36 judgments. Here are the introductions to the opinions and links to the Rule 36 judgments.