Opinions

Opinions & Orders – February 17, 2026

This morning, the Federal Circuit released two precedential opinions and two nonprecedential orders. One of the opinions comes in a patent infringement case; the other comes in an appeal of a judgment of the Court of International Trade in a trade case. One of the orders grants the government’s motion for a summary affirmance in an appeal of final judgment of the Court of Federal Claims; the other is a dismissal. Here are the introductions to the opinions and first order and a link to the dismissal.

Read More
Argument Recap / Panel Activity

Argument Recap – Dougherty Electric, Inc. v. United States

Earlier this month, the Federal Circuit heard oral argument in a tax case, Dougherty Electric, Inc. v. United States. In this case, Dougherty Electric appeals a dismissal by the Court of Federal Claims of a refund suit for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. Judges Lourie, Prost, and Taranto heard the oral argument. This is our argument recap.

Read More
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 cases have attracted 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 three recent opinions, four recent orders, and one new case. Here are the details.

Read More
Opinions

Opinions & Orders – February 13, 2026

This morning, the Federal Circuit released two precedential opinions. One of the opinions comes in a patent cases addressing claim construction. The other also comes in a patent case, this one challenging instructions the Director of the Patent and Trademark Office had given to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board related to its authority to decline petitions for inter partes review. The court also released three nonprecedential opinions. The first comes in an appeal of a decision of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board; the second comes in a patent infringement case and addresses an award of enhanced damages; and the third comes in a pro se appeal of a decision of the Court of Federal Claims. The Federal Circuit also released nine nonprecedential orders. Three transfer matters; three dismiss appeals; one remands a case; and two deny petitions for writs of mandamus. Finally, the court also released a Rule 36 judgment. Here are the introductions to the opinions and orders other than dismissals, along with links to the dismissals and Rule 36 judgment.

Read More
Featured / FedCircuitBlog / Supreme Court Activity

Recent Supreme Court Activity

Here is an update on recent activity at the Supreme Court in cases decided by the Federal Circuit. Since our last update, there has been no new activity at the Supreme Court in the two pending cases decided by the Federal Circuit. As for petitions, a new petition was filed in a pro se case and two waivers of the right to respond to petitions were filed in two other pro se cases. Here are the details.

Read More
Opinions

Opinions & Orders – February 10, 2026

Late yesterday, the Federal Circuit released a nonprecedential opinion dismissing an appeal. This morning, the court released three nonprecedential opinions and three additional nonprecedential orders dismissing appeals. One of the opinions comes in a patent infringement case; the other two come in pro se challenges to decisions of the Merit Systems Protection Board. Here are the introductions to the opinions and links to the dismissals.

Read More
Opinions

Opinions & Orders – February 9, 2026

This morning, the Federal Circuit released a precedential opinion in a patent case that reverses a district court and finds all asserted claims invalid for lack of eligibility. The Federal Circuit also released two nonprecedential opinions, one in another patent case appealed from another district court and another in a pro se case appealed from the Court of Veterans Appeals. The Federal Circuit also released a nonprecedential order transferring a case, an errata, and a Rule 36 summary affirmance. Here are the introductions to the opinions and links to the transfer, errata, and summary affirmance.

Read More
Opinions

Opinions & Orders – February 5, 2026

This morning, the Federal Circuit released two precedential opinions, three nonprecedential opinions, and two nonprecedential orders. One of the precedential opinions comes in an appeal of a decision of the Court of Federal Claims; the other comes in an appeal of a decision of the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Two of the nonprecedential opinions come in patent infringement cases decided by district courts; the other comes in a pro se appeal of a decision of the Merit Systems Protection Board. Both orders dismiss appeals. Here are the introductions to the opinions and links to the orders.

Read More
Opinions

Opinions & Orders – February 4, 2026

This morning, the Federal Circuit released two precedential opinions, two nonprecedential opinions, and three nonprecedential orders. One precedential opinion comes in an appeal of a decision of the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, and the other comes in an appeal of a decision of the Court of Federal Claims. One of the nonprecedential opinions comes in a patent infringement case decided by a district court, and the other comes in an appeal of a decision of the Court of Federal Claims. Two of the orders dismiss appeals. The remaining order is a sue sponte order recalling a mandate for the limited purpose of correcting a misstatement in the opinion. Here are the introductions to the opinions and the order recalling the mandate, along with links to the dismissals.

Read More
Featured / FedCircuitBlog / Supreme Court Activity

Recent Supreme Court Activity

Here is an update on recent activity at the Supreme Court in cases decided by the Federal Circuit. Since our last update, there has been no new activity at the Supreme Court in the two pending cases decided by the Federal Circuit. As for petitions, new petitions were filed in a takings case and two pro se cases; a waiver of the right to respond to a petition was filed in a pro se case; and three briefs in opposition were filed, two in a patent case and one in a takings case. Here are the details.

Read More