FedCircuitBlog

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 the Federal Circuit’s recent decision in a patent case addressing the written description requirement and ownership of patents;
• another blog post explaining how the Federal Circuit recently reversed a district court’s determination that it lacked jurisdiction to address a challenge to the USPTO Director’s decision to vacate ex parte reexaminations based on estoppel; and
• an article assessing the Federal Circuit’s recent determination that “claims of a patent relating to methods for treating acne are invalid because they would be obvious to someone skilled in the field.”

This morning the Federal Circuit issued a precedential opinion in a patent case appealed from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. The court also issued a nonprecedential opinion in a veterans case appealed from the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Finally, the court issued a Rule 36 judgment. Here are the introductions to the opinions and a link to the Rule 36 judgment.

• Federal Circuit Cancels Arguments Due to Building Inaccessibility – The Federal Circuit will be closed to the public and staff through at least June 7 to accommodate for the ongoing protests.
• Section 285 Attorney’s Fees Not Available for Pure Inter Partes Review – The Federal Circuit left open the question of whether fees can be awarded in connection with an IPR proceeding that was parallel to a district court action.
• Federal Circuit Affirms Noninfringement and Invalidity Judgments Against Designer of Chalk Holders – The court found that a company’s toy chalk holders, resembling No. 2 pencils, did not to infringe a design patent.

This morning the Federal Circuit issued one precedential order in a patent case denying a request to award attorneys fees after the appellant moved to voluntarily dismiss the appeal, two nonprecedential opinions in patent cases, and three nonprecedential opinions in veterans cases. Here are the introductions to the order and the opinions.