FedCircuitBlog

This morning the Federal Circuit released a nonprecedential opinion in a veterans case appealed from the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Late yesterday and this morning, the Federal Circuit also released two nonprecedential orders granting motions to voluntarily dismiss appeals. Here is the introduction to the opinion 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, the Supreme Court heard arguments this week in Arellano v. McDonough, a veterans case. With respect to petitions, two new petitions were filed with the Court in a patent case and a pro se case; the government waived its right to respond to a petition filed in a pro se case; the Court invited the Solicitor General to file briefs expressing the views of the United States in two patent cases related to so-called skinny labelling and eligibility, respectively; a supplemental brief was filed in a patent case raising questions related to patent law’s enablement requirement; a reply brief was submitted in a veterans case addressing the standard of proof governing rejection of disability claims; and, finally, the Court denied more than 20 petitions. Here are the details.

Last week, the Federal Circuit issued its opinion in Memmer v. United States, a case we have been following because it attracted an amicus brief. In this case, Memmer appealed a decision by the Court of Federal Claims concerning a Notice of Interim Trail Use issued by the Surface Transportation Board. In the appeal, Memmer challenged the lower court’s decision that “the duration of the taking lasted as long as the railroad’s abandonment authority existed.” The United States cross-appealed to argue that the lower court “erred in holding that Appellants’ property was taken,” and in the alternative to argue that the takings concluded when the Notice of Interim Trail expired, resulting in a shorter period of time than the lower court found. In an opinion authored by Judge Schall and joined by Judges Lourie and Reyna, the Federal Circuit vacated-in-part and remanded-in-part the lower court’s decision. This is our opinion summary.

This morning the Federal Circuit released a nonprecedential opinion in a case appealed from the Court of Federal Claims. Also, late yesterday the Federal Circuit released a nonprecedential order dismissing an appeal. Here is the introduction to the opinion and a link to the dismissal.

Here is an update on recent activity at the Supreme Court in cases decided by the Federal Circuit. With respect to granted cases, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments next week in Arellano v. McDonough, a veterans case. With respect to petitions, one new petition was filed with the Court in a pro se case. Additionally, the views of the Solicitor General were submitted in a patent case raising questions related to patent law’s enablement requirement. Here are the details.

This morning the Federal Circuit released two precedential opinions. The first opinion comes in a takings case appealed from the Court of Federal Claims. In its opinion, the Federal Circuit affirms the Court of Federal Claims’s determination on liability, vacates its judgment as to compensation and interest, and remands the case. The second opinion comes in a patent case appealed from the Northern District of California. In its opinion, the Federal Circuit reverses the district court’s grant of a motion to dismiss for lack of eligibility and remands the case. Here are the introductions to the opinions.

Here is an update on recent en banc activity at the Federal Circuit in patent cases. Next week the court will hear oral argument in one of the two pending en banc cases. As for petitions for en banc review, the court received a new petition filed by a pro se party, and the court denied two petitions raising questions related to the critical date of prior art and the written description requirement, respectively. 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 its opinion, the Federal Circuit affirmed the Court of International Trade’s judgment sustaining Commerce’s antidumping order. The Federal Circuit also released a nonprecedential order denying a writ of mandamus to transfer a patent infringement suit from the Western District of Texas to the Southern District of Florida. Here is the introduction to the opinion and text from the order.

Here is an update on recent activity at the Supreme Court in cases decided by the Federal Circuit. With respect to granted cases, there is no new activity to report since our last update. With respect to petitions, two new petitions were filed with the Court in a veterans case and a case raising a question concerning judicial disqualification; a brief in opposition was submitted in another veterans case addressing the standard of proof governing rejection of disability claims; the government waived its right to respond in a Merit Systems Protection Board case; and one reply brief was submitted in a patent case raising a question related to patent eligibility. Here are the details.

Late yesterday and this morning, the Federal Circuit released four nonprecedential orders. One vacates an order issued by the Court of Federal Claims and remands the case in view of a recent decision of the Supreme Court related to the constitutionality of a fee increase; one grants an unopposed motion to remand a case to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board based on an admission by the Director of the Patent and Trademark Office of error by the Board; one grants a joint motion to dismiss an appeal; and one dismisses an appeal for failure to prosecute. Here is the text from the orders and links to the dismissals.