Opinions

Opinions & Orders – May 20, 2024

This morning the Federal Circuit released three precedential opinions, one nonprecedential opinion, and three nonprecedential orders.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 The nonprecedential opinion partially reverses a judgment of the Court of Federal Claims in a government contract case.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.

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Featured / Federal Circuit Announcement

Federal Circuit Announces Judge Linn Receives American Inns of Court Professionalism Award

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.

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Opinions

Opinions & Orders – May 17, 2024

This morning the Federal Circuit released two nonprecedential opinions and five nonprecedential orders.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.

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Supreme Court Activity

Recent Supreme Court Activity

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.

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Opinions

Opinions & Orders – May 16, 2024

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.

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Featured / Supreme Court Activity

Breaking News – Supreme Court Determines Deadline to Appeal Judgment of the Merit Systems Protection Board is Not Jurisdictional

This morning the Supreme Court issued its opinion in Harrow v. Department of Defense, one of two cases decided by the Federal Circuit that the Supreme Court is reviewing during its current term. In this case, the Court reviewed the Federal Circuit’s holding that the deadline for a federal employee to appeal an adverse judgment of the Merit Systems Protection Board is jurisdictional. Vacating the judgment of the Federal Circuit, the Supreme Court today held that the deadline is not jurisdictional. The Court, however, did not reach the question of whether, as a result, equitable tolling is available, instead remanding the case for the Federal Circuit to rule on that issue. Here is the introduction to the Court’s opinion. We will provide an opinion summary next week.

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Argument Recap

Argument Recap – ACLR, LLC v. United States

Earlier this month, the Federal Circuit heard oral argument in ACLR, LLC v. United States, a government contract case that attracted an amicus brief. In this case, the Federal Circuit will review a judgment of the Court of Federal Claims, which granted the government’s motion for summary judgment. The panel included Judges Prost, Hughes, and Stark. This is our argument recap.

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Opinions

Opinions & Orders – May 15, 2024

This morning the Federal Circuit released one precedential opinion, one nonprecedential opinion, and three nonprecedential orders. The precedential opinion reverses a judgment of the U.S. Court of International Trade concerning the scope of an antidumping duty order. Notably, Judge Chen dissented. The nonprecedential opinion affirms the denial of a petition for a writ of mandamus by the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. The orders are all dismissals. Here are the introductions to the opinions and links to the dismissals.

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Argument Recap

Argument Recap – Regents of the University of California v. Broad Institute, Inc.

Earlier this month, the Federal Circuit heard oral argument in Regents of the University of California v. Broad Institute, Inc., a patent case that attracted an amicus brief. In this case, the Federal Circuit is reviewing a judgment of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board in an interference proceeding concerning competing patent applications related to using the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing system in eukaryotic (e.g., plant or animal) cells. Judges Reyna, Hughes, and Cunningham heard the argument. This is our argument recap.

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Opinions

Opinions & Orders – May 14, 2024

This morning the Federal Circuit released one precedential opinion and two nonprecedential orders. The precedential opinion dismisses for lack of jurisdiction an appeal of a district court’s denial of a motion to dismiss in a patent case. The nonprecedential orders grant summary affirmances under Rule 36. Here are the introductions to the opinions and links to the summary affirmances.

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