FedCircuitBlog

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, since our last update the Court has not granted any new petitions. Three new petitions, however, have since been filed: two in patent cases and one filed by a pro se petitioner. Additionally, a waiver of right to respond to one of the three new petitions was filed, and a brief in opposition was filed in a case that raises a question regarding Article III standing in a series of patent appeals. Here are the details.

This morning the Federal Circuit issued two nonprecedential opinions. The first opinion comes in a veterans case appealed from the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, and the second opinion comes in a patent case appealed from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. The court also issued an erratum. Here are the introductions to the opinions and a link to the erratum.

Here is an update on recent en banc activity at the Federal Circuit in patent cases. The court received three new petitions raising questions related to claim construction, conflict of interest, due process, inducement of infringement, and an evidentiary rule. The court invited a response to a petition raising questions related to the written description requirement. In the same case, the court received three new amicus briefs supporting rehearing. Here are the details.

Earlier this month the Federal Circuit heard oral argument in Milton v. United States, a case arising from the Court of Federal Claims. We have been following this case because it attracted an amicus brief. In this case, 150 plaintiffs are appealing a grant of summary judgment for the United States. These plaintiffs-appellants have asserted takings claims against the federal government based on properties that were flooded as a result of government action when the Addicks and Barker Reservoirs released water during Hurricane Harvey. The amicus brief was filed by 205 other plaintiffs with similar cases that have been stayed by the Court of Federal Claims. Judges Lourie, Chen, and Cunningham heard the argument. This is our argument recap.

This morning the Federal Circuit released a notice that its 2022 Judicial Conference, originally scheduled for April 1, has now been moved to September 9, 2022. The court will no longer be sitting for oral argument on September 9, and the calendar has been updated on its website. Here is the full text of today’s announcement.

This morning the Federal Circuit issued a nonprecedential opinion in a patent case appealed from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. The opinion affirms the Board’s decision that patent claims are not patentable but instead obvious under 35 U.S.C. § 103. The court also issued a Rule 36 judgment. Here is the introduction to the opinion and a link to the Rule 36 judgment.

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

• an article identifying the “top issues for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in 2022”;
• another article providing a 2021 “review: trademarks, copyrights and patents”; and
• a third article discussing how the Federal Circuit recently ruled “that retired military members count as civilians for service on the Board for Correction of Naval Records.”

A Federal Circuit panel heard oral argument earlier this month in SAS Institute Inc. v. World Programming Ltd., a copyright case originally filed in the Eastern District of Texas. We have been following this case because it attracted ten amicus briefs, six in support of SAS and four in support of WPL. In this case, SAS appeals a decision by the district court dismissing its claim of copyright infringement by WPL. SAS contends the district court incorrectly analyzed the copyrightability of a computer program and improperly excluded relevant witness testimony. Judges Newman, Reyna, and Wallach heard the oral argument. This is our argument recap.

This morning the Federal Circuit issued two nonprecedential opinions. The first comes in a patent case also involving trade secrets. This case was appealed from the Central District of California. The second comes in an employment case appealed from the Merit Systems Protection Board. Here are the introductions to the opinions.

Here is this month’s update on activity in cases pending before panels of the Federal Circuit where the cases involve at least one amicus brief. We keep track of these cases in the “Other Cases” section of our blog. Today, with respect to these cases we highlight an opinion in a tax case addressing subject matter jurisdiction and “duly filed” requirements, a new patent case about prosecution laches that attracted an amicus brief, and an upcoming oral argument in a case appealed from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Here are the details.