FedCircuitBlog

This morning the Federal Circuit released two precedential opinions, two nonprecedential opinions, and one nonprecedential order. The first precedential opinion comes in a patent case appealed from the District of Connecticut, while the second precedential opinion comes in a trade case appealed from the Court of International Trade. Both nonprecedential opinions affirm orders of the Merit Systems Protection Board. The nonprecedential order comes in a patent case involving a joint stipulation of voluntary dismissal. Here are the introductions to the opinions and text from the order.

Here is an update on recent en banc activity at the Federal Circuit. Highlights include denials of petitions in two related cases. Both raised questions related to claim construction. Here are the details.

Here is an update on recent en banc activity at the Federal Circuit. Highlights include a new opinion in an en banc case addressing design patent law’s nonobviousness requirement; seven new petitions raising questions related to nonobviousness, claim construction, infringement, appellate review, and damages; and three denials of petitions raising questions related to definiteness, claim construction, infringement, licenses, and reduction to practice. Here are the details.

This morning, the Federal Circuit released two precedential opinions, two nonprecedential opinions, and one nonprecedential order. The first precedential opinions addresses an appeal from a judgment of the Court of Federal Claims regarding a military officer’s retirement status and affiliated retirement pay. The second precedential opinions addresses an appeal from a judgment of a district court in a patent case and affirms the district court’s indefiniteness determination but vacates and remands its nonobviousness determination. Both of the nonprecedential opinions address appeals from judgments of the Eastern District of Texas granting motions for summary judgment of noninfringement, and the Federal Circuit affirms in both cases. The nonprecedential order denies a petition for a writ of mandamus asking the court to order the reopening of a case. Here are the introductions to the opinions and selected text from the order.

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

• a blog post discussing a recent Federal Circuit decision that “provides a lesson into the importance of carefully drafting—and understanding—the scope of licensing terms, especially covenants not to sue”; and
• an article about how a “Federal Circuit Court of Appeals panel . . . denied an Oklahoma landowner’s bid to overturn a lower court’s ruling that the federal government isn’t liable for flooding damage to her property due to activity at a nearby Cherokee Nation casino.”

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

• an article discussing “what’s at stake in pending Federal Circuit design patent case”;
• an article highlighting a recent notice by the USPTO published in the Federal Register “providing updated guidance for agency decision-makers on proper determinations of obviousness under the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2007 ruling in KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc.”; and
• an article about how “[t]he Federal Circuit reversed a district court judge’s dismissal of a breach-of-contract lawsuit against MasterCard International Inc. over a licensing agreement the company entered with patent owner AlexSam Inc.”

This morning, the Federal Circuit released one nonprecedential opinion and five nonprecedential orders. The opinion addresses an appeal hinging on the interpretation of a patent license agreement. One of the nonprecedential orders addresses a petition for a writ of mandamus. The remaining four nonprecedential orders are dismissals. Here is the introduction to the opinion, selected text from the order addressing the petition, and links to the dismissals.

This morning the Federal Circuit issued a precedential opinion in a government contract case appealed from the Court of Federal Claims. The court also issued two nonprecedential opinions. The first comes in a patent case appealed from the Eastern District of New York. The second comes in a case appealed from the Court of Federal Claims concerning its jurisdiction. Here are the introductions to the opinions.

• Fed. Circ. Backs Sanofi, Regeneron PTAB Win Over Amgen – In a precedential opinion issued on Tuesday, the Federal Circuit upheld a Patent Trial and Appeal Board decision invalidating Amgen’s patent aimed at treating inflammatory disorders.
• Patent Reviews in ‘Limbo’ As Supreme Court Takes Case on Judges – The U.S. Supreme Court recently announced that it will review the Federal Circuit’s decision in Arthrex Inc. v. Smith & Nephew Inc.
• Fed. Circ. Denies Appeal of Order Backing Card IP Under Alice – On Wednesday, the Federal Circuit rejected an interlocutory appeal after a district court found that a patent describing a card that can be used as a debit card, a loyalty card, and a gift card all at once was not directed to an abstract idea.

Here’s the latest.

This morning, the Federal Circuit issued a precedential opinion in a patent case and a nonprecedential opinion denying permission for an interlocutory appeal. The Federal Circuit also issued three Rule 36 judgments. Here are the introductions to the opinions and links to the Rule 36 judgments.