Opinions

Opinions & Orders – December 9, 2024

This morning the Federal Circuit released four precedential opinions and three nonprecedential opinions. The first precedential opinion comes in a trade case and affirms in part, vacates in part, and remands the case to the Court of International Trade. Notably, Judge Stark concurred in part and dissenting in part from the majority’s judgment. The second precedential opinion comes in a case challenging a final rule of the Department of Veterans Affairs that changed how the VA pays for noncontract ground and air ambulance transports for eligible beneficiaries. The Federal Circuit set aside the final rule. The third precedential opinion comes in a patent case. In this third case the Federal Circuit affirmed a judgment of the District of Delaware over challenges to two of the lower court’s claim constructions. The fourth precedential opinion comes in a case dismissed by the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims for lack of jurisdiction. All three of the nonprecedential opinions come in pro se appeals. Here are the introductions to the opinions.

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Opinions

Opinions & Orders – December 6, 2024

This morning the Federal Circuit released a precedential opinion in a design patent case appealed from the Eastern District of Arkansas. The Federal Circuit also released six nonprecedential opinions in a patent case appealed from the District of Delaware, two cases appealed from the Court of Federal Claims, a case appealed from the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, and two cases appealed from the Merit Systems Protection Board. The Federal Circuit also released a summary affirmance under Rule 36. Here are the introductions to the opinions and a link to the summary affirmance.

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En Banc Activity / Petitions

Recent En Banc Activity

Here is an update on recent en banc activity at the Federal Circuit in patent cases. Since our last update, the Federal Circuit granted en banc rehearing to address a question concerning standing at the Court of Federal Claims to allege a violation of a statute or regulation in connection with a procurement or proposed procurement of a government contract. Additionally, an amicus brief has been filed in a pending en banc patent case raising a question concerning a district court’s responsibility to scrutinize a patentee’s reliance on supposedly comparable licenses. There are no updates regarding pending petitions. Here are the details.

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Opinions

Opinions & Orders – November 27, 2024

This morning the Federal Circuit released one nonprecedential order that dismissed a case. Here is a link to the dismissal.

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Petitions / Supreme Court Activity

Recent Supreme Court Activity

Here is an update on activity at the Supreme Court in cases decided by the Federal Circuit. With respect to granted cases, oral argument in Feliciano v. Department of Transportation will take place on December 9. Since our last update, a waiver of the right to respond was filed in a pro se case, two new briefs in opposition were filed in a patent case and a veterans case, and seven amicus briefs were filed in two patent cases and a veterans case. In addition, the Court denied the petition in a patent case raising questions related to Judge Newman’s removal from hearing appeals, Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(d), and eligibility. Here are the details.

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Opinions

Opinions & Orders – November 26, 2024

Today the Federal Circuit released one nonprecedential opinion. It affirms a decision of the Court of Federal Claims, which dismissed a complaint, denied a request to amend the complaint, and denied a request to transfer. Here is the introduction to the opinion.

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Opinions

Opinions & Orders – November 25, 2024

As we reported earlier today, late Friday afternoon the Federal Circuit released a precedential order granting a petition for rehearing en banc in a government contract case. Today the Federal Circuit also released two nonprecedential orders, both of which were dismissals. Here is the introduction to the precedential order and links to the dismissals.

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Featured / Panel Activity

Update on Important Panel Activity

Here is an update on activity in cases pending before panels of the Federal Circuit where the case involves 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 two new opinions. One comes in a government contract case raising questions related to breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and recovery of certain termination-for-convenience damages. The other comes in a patent case raising questions related the propriety of an antisuit injunction. The other update is new briefing in another patent case raising questions related to whether the district court erred in granting summary judgment of patent eligibility, noninfringement, and denial of damages. Here are the details.

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Opinions

Opinions & Orders – November 21, 2024

Today the Federal Circuit released a nonprecedential opinion in a patent case affirming a grant of summary judgment of noninfringement, two nonprecedential orders transferring appeals, and two nonprecedential orders dismissing appeals. Here are the introductions to the opinion and transfers, along with links to the dismissals.

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Featured / Petitions / Supreme Court Activity

Recent Supreme Court Activity

Here is an update on activity at the Supreme Court in cases decided by the Federal Circuit. With respect to granted cases, there is no new activity to report. With respect to petitions, two new petitions were filed. One comes in a patent case raising a question under the Administrative Procedure Act relating to inter partes review by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. The other petition comes in a pro se case. The Court also received a new brief in opposition in a case concerning appellate procedure, an amicus brief in a patent case, and waivers of the right to respond in two other patent cases. In addition, the Court denied the petitions in three patent cases and one pro se case. Here are the details.

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