FedCircuitBlog

This week is Court Week at the Federal Circuit. In total, the court will convene twelve panels to consider 47 cases. Of these 47 cases, the court will hear oral arguments in 38. The Federal Circuit is providing access to live audio of these arguments via the Federal Circuit’s YouTube channel. Of the argued cases, two cases attracted amicus briefs. One concerns judicial review of factors (the so-called Fintiv factors) adopted by the Director of the Patent and Trademark Office to govern decisions whether to institute inter partes review of patents. The other addresses whether the President exceeded his statutory authority in an international trade case. Here’s what you need to know about these cases.

Here is an update on recent activity at the Supreme Court in cases decided by the Federal Circuit. With respect to granted cases, fourteen amicus brief were filed in Amgen Inc. v. Sanofi, Aventisub LLC, a patent case concerning the enablement patentability requirement. With respect to petitions, three new petitions were filed with the Court, one in a veterans case, one in a patent case, and one in a pro se case. Here are the details. 

This morning the Federal Circuit released a precedential opinion in a trade case appealed from the Court of International Trade. In it, the Federal Circuit affirms the Trade Court’s judgment sustaining the Department of Commerce’s final determination in its investigation. Here is the introduction to the opinion.

This morning, the Federal Circuit released two nonprecedential opinions, one in a patent case and another in a government contract case. In the patent case, the Federal Circuit concluded that a district court did not abuse its discretion in excluding a patent owner from presenting an infringement theory at trial. The Federal Circuit also released two nonprecedential orders, one dismissing an appeal for lack of jurisdiction and another granting a motion to dismiss. Here are the introductions to the opinions, text from the order dismissing the appeal for lack of jurisdiction, and a link to the order granting the motion to dismiss.

Here is an update on recent activity at the Supreme Court in cases decided by the Federal Circuit. With respect to granted cases, Amgen filed its opening merits brief in Amgen Inc. v. Sanofi, Aventisub LLC, which concerns patent law’s enablement requirement. With respect to petitions, although no new petitions were filed with the Court, a brief in opposition and a reply brief were filed in patent case concerning inter partes review estoppel, and another reply brief was filed in a veterans case. Here are the details. 

Late yesterday and this morning the Federal Circuit released a precedential opinion dismissing an interlocutory appeal for lack of jurisdiction. Notably, Judge Newman dissented. The court also released two nonprecedential orders dismissing a petition for lack of jurisdiction and an appeal for lack of jurisdiction. The court also released another nonprecedential order granting a motion to dismiss.

This morning the Federal Circuit released a nonprecedential opinion dismissing a case for lack of a timely notice of appeal, a nonprecedential order reviewing a sanction of counsel, a nonprecedential order summarily affirming a judgment of the Court of Federal Claims, and a summary affirmance.

Two cases being argued in January at the Federal Circuit attracted amicus brief. One of those cases is PrimeSource Building Products, Inc. v. United States, a trade case. In it, PrimeSource Building Products claims the President did not act within his statutory authority by extending national security tariffs he had previously applied to steel articles to include derivatives of those articles. Specifically, in this case, the Federal Circuit will review a determination by the Court of International Trade that the President exceeded his authority by issuing Proclamation 9980 outside the time limitations contained in 19 U.S.C. § 1862(c)(1). This is our argument preview.

Late Friday and this morning, the Federal Circuit released five nonprecedential orders dismissing appeals. Here are the links to the dismissals.

Earlier this month, the Federal Circuit held an en banc session to hear oral argument in Adams v. United States. In this case, the court is considering whether on-the-job exposure to the recent novel coronavirus entitles federal correctional officers to additional pay pursuant to various federal statutes. This is our argument recap.