FedCircuitBlog

Here is an update on recent en banc activity at the Federal Circuit in patent cases. The court received a new response to a petition raising questions related to claim construction and the doctrine of equivalents, and the court denied two petitions raising questions related to claim construction, eligible subject matter, and deference to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Here are the details.

This morning, the Federal Circuit released a precedential opinion dismissing an appeal from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board for a lack of standing. The court also released a nonprecedential opinion in a case appealed from the Merit Systems Protection Board as well as a Rule 36 judgment. Here are the introductions to the opinions and a link to the Rule 36 judgment.

Last week we hosted an online symposium, “Year in Review–The Federal Circuit in 2020,” reviewing important opinions of the Federal Circuit from 2020. Seven authors published six blog posts addressing various cases within the Federal Circuit’s exclusive jurisdiction: trade, patent, Tucker Act, federal employment, and veterans law cases. Here, we wrap up our online symposium by linking to and highlighting the focus of each contribution.

This morning, the Federal Circuit issued a precedential opinion in a patent case affirming a judgment of noninfringement. Additionally, the court issued two Rule 36 judgments. The introduction to the opinion and links to the Rule 36 judgments can be found here.

On April 5, 2021, the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Google LLC v. Oracle America, Inc., the long-running software copyright case. The Court sided with Google in a 6-2 opinion, holding that Google’s copying of the Java API code constituted fair use. Justice Breyer wrote the majority opinion for the Court and was joined by Chief Justice Roberts, Justice Sotomayor, Justice Kagan, Justice Kavanaugh, and Justice Gorsuch. Justice Thomas wrote a dissenting opinion and was joined by Justice Alito. Justice Barrett did not participate in the case. Here is a summary of the majority and dissenting opinions.

• Set Phase to Subject Matter Ineligible: More Accurate Haplotype Phase Method Still Abstract – A patent for determining haplotype phase could not survive review under Alice according to the PTAB and the Federal Circuit.
• Federal Circuit Says Hawaii Telecom’s FCC Suit Belongs In DC Circuit – In Sandwich Isles Communications v. United States, the Federal Circuit denied an appeal seeking nearly $200 million in lost subsidies after the FCC cut off funding.

Here’s the latest.

The Federal Circuit did not post any opinions or orders on its website this morning.

This morning the Supreme Court reversed the Federal Circuit’s finding of copyright fair use in Google LLC v. Oracle America, Inc. Justice Breyer authored the Court’s majority opinion, which Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, Kavanaugh, and Gorsuch joined. Justice Thomas authored a dissenting opinion, which Justice Alito joined. Justice Barrett did not participate in the case. Here are the introductions to the majority and dissenting opinions.

• Full Fed. Circ. Won’t Review Motion Sensor Patent Fight – The full Federal Circuit chose not to disturb a panel’s decision to uphold part of a Patent Trial and Appeal Board ruling that struck down several claims of a motion sensor patent.
• Good News/Bad News: Patent Owners and Petitioners Both Make Gains in CAFC Uniloc Decision – Experts analyze the effects of the Federal Circuit’s recent Uniloc 2017 v. Facebook Inc. decision that raised numerous estoppel issues.

Here’s the latest.

This week is Court Week at the Federal Circuit. As in the past several months, the court will hear its oral arguments telephonically given the coronavirus pandemic. Notably, however, this month the Federal Circuit is providing access to live audio of each panel scheduled for argument via the Federal Circuit’s YouTube channel rather than via telephone conference calls as in past months. In total, the court will convene 16 panels to consider about 61 cases. Of these 61 cases, the court will hear oral arguments in 41. Of the argued cases, two attracted amicus briefs: one a veterans case and one a patent case. Here’s what you need to know about these two cases.