FedCircuitBlog

This morning, the Federal Circuit released five nonprecedential orders. One order transfers an appeal to another circuit court of appeals; one order transfers an appeal to a district court; and one order denies a petition for a writ of mandamus. The two remaining orders are dismissals: one dismisses for lack of jurisdiction, and another grants a motion to voluntarily dismiss. Late Friday, the Federal Circuit also released another nonprecedential order that dismissed an appeal. Here are previews of selected orders and links to dismissals.

This morning, the Federal Circuit released one precedential opinion and four nonprecedential orders. The precedential opinion rejects the argument the Patent Trial and Appeal Board failed to address several arguments made in two inter partes review proceedings. The court found no error in the how the Board understood the arguments at issue, but in a dissenting opinion Judge Dyk disagrees with the court. Two of the four orders are dismissals, while the other two transfer cases—one to a circuit court of appeals and another to a district court. Here is the introduction to the precedential opinion, selected text from the transfers, and links to the dismissals.

This morning, the Federal Circuit released one precedential opinion, four nonprecedential opinions, and three nonprecedential orders. The precedential opinion reverses a judgement of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board based on an erroneous claim construction. The first nonprecedential opinion addresses an appeal from a judgment in a takings case; the second resolves an appeal from a judgment of a district court, which construed certain claims in a means-plus-function format and held those claims as indefinite under that construction; the third addresses subject matter jurisdiction; the fourth comes in a pro se case. One of the orders denies a petition to transfer a case; the other two orders are dismissals. Here are the introductions to the opinions, selected text from the order denying the petition, and links to the dismissals.

Here is an update on recent activity at the Supreme Court in cases decided by the Federal Circuit. With respect to granted cases, a reply brief was filed in Rudisill v. McDonough, a veterans case. With respect to pending petitions, two new petitions were filed with the Court in a veterans case and in a pro se case, and a waiver of right to respond was filed in a patent case addressing both joinder in inter partes review proceedings and the Federal Vacancies Reform Act. Additionally, a brief in opposition was filed in a Tucker Act case and two reply briefs in support of petitions were filed in two different cases, one in a trade case presenting questions related to separation of powers and steel tariffs and one in a patent case addressing joint inventorship. Finally, the Court denied petitions in one patent case and two pro se cases. Here are the details.

Here is an update on recent activity at the Supreme Court in cases decided by the Federal Circuit. With respect to granted cases, a merits brief and an amicus brief were filed in Vidal v. Elster, a trademark case concerning the First Amendment. With respect to petitions, three new petitions were filed with the Court in two patent cases addressing eligibility and prosecution laches respectively and in a takings case. Additionally, waivers of right to respond were filed in the patent case addressing prosecution laches and in a pro se case, and a supplemental brief was filed with the Court in a patent case addressing eligibility. Finally, three amicus briefs were filed in a patent case addressing judicial review of determinations whether to institute inter partes review proceedings. Here are the details.

This morning, the Federal Circuit released six nonprecedential dismissals and one nonprecedential erratum. Late Friday, the Federal Circuit also released another nonprecedential dismissal. Here are links to the dismissals and the erratum.

Here is an update on recent activity at the Supreme Court in cases decided by the Federal Circuit. With respect to granted cases, an amicus brief was filed in support of respondent in Vidal v. Elster. With respect to petitions, two new petitions in two pro se cases were filed with the Court. Additionally, the government waived its right to respond to petitions in an employment case and in a pro se case. Here are the details.

Today, the Federal Circuit released one nonprecedential opinion and three nonprecedential orders. The opinion addresses an appeal from a grant of summary judgment in which a district court held that a patent was ineligible for patenting. Specifically, the district court found that the claims at issue simply sought to automate prior art methods to minimize human error and replaced the human operator with a conventional machine. Two of the orders released today transfer cases, and one dismisses an appeal. Late last Friday, the Federal Circuit also released a nonprecedential order dismissing an appeal. Here are the introductions to the opinion and transfers and links to the dismissals.

Today, the Federal Circuit released one precedential opinion, three nonprecedential opinions, and three nonprecedential orders. The precedential opinion comes in an appeal from the Patent and Trademark Office and addresses whether a patent is unpatentable as anticipated by, or obvious in view of, asserted prior art.  One of the nonprecedential opinions involves a pro se litigant seeking review of a final decision of the Merit System Protection Board. The second nonprecedential opinion, also litigated pro se, addresses an alleged violation of the First Amendment. The final nonprecedential opinion involves an appeal from a Patent Trial and Appeal Board decision regarding the patentability of claims. The three nonprecedential orders deny petitions for writs of mandamus. Here are the introductions to the opinions and orders.

This morning, the Federal Circuit released a precedential opinion in an employment case. In it, the court vacated and remanded an arbitrator’s decision to remove the plaintiff from the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Late yesterday and this morning, the court also released three nonprecedential orders, one transferring a case to a district court, one dismissing an appeal for untimeliness, and another also dismissing an appeal. Here is the introduction to the opinion, text from the transfer and dismissal for untimeliness, and a link to the other dismissal.