Specific-Questions Guide to Child Custody Investigations
No matter how skilled a forensic examiner may be in conducting an evaluation, the relevance of the information gathered in the evaluation is directly tied to the clarity and scope of the questions that guide the investigation. Here is a comphrehensive guide to the correct questions.
Warn Potential Patent Infringers: But Do Your Homework First
Part One of this article addressed <i>800 Adept, Inc. v. Murex Secs., Ltd. et al.</i> and the required level of care that must be taken before issuing notice letters to potential infringers and the legal standard under which that care may later be judged. This second installment discusses <i>Dominant Semiconductors Sdn. Bhd. v. OSRAM Gmbh.</i>
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The Third Amendment to the Chinese Patent Law
The Third Amendment to the Chinese Patent Law is expected to bring the law into closer conformity with international standards, particularly commensurate with U.S. Patent contract and litigation practice, even though several changes such as the absolute novelty requirement still clearly reflect the influence of European Patent laws on the development of the Chinese Patent Law. The Third Amendment includes changes to patent application and enforcement processes, ownership rights, compulsory licensing rules, international exhaustion rights, penalties for patent infringement, prior art defenses, and exemptions, summarized in this article.
The Changing Tide of Declaratory Judgment Jurisdiction in Patent Cases
During the last two years, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has decided a series of cases that collectively explore what circumstances are sufficient, or insufficient, to establish declaratory judgment jurisdiction in the context of a patent dispute. Several of these decisions, which have put patentees at an increased risk for declaratory judgment lawsuits, are addressed in this article.
High Court Dismisses Philip Morris Appeal of $79 Million Punitive Damages Verdict
On March 31, the U.S. Supreme Court blinked in a long-running standoff with the Oregon Supreme Court over the handling of a punitive damages suit against Philip Morris brought by the widow of a smoker who died from lung cancer in 1997. The high court dismissed the case of Philip Morris v. Williams as "improvidently granted"in a one-sentence opinion.
Exxon May Be Sued for Natural Resource Damage Done Prior to Passage of NJ Spill Act
New Jersey can pursue Exxon Mobil for natural resource damage done by two refineries prior to enactment of the state's Spill Compensation and Control Act, a Union County judge has ruled. This article explains the background.
Features
Sophisticated User Defense Gains Acceptance
The sophisticated user doctrine has become a prevalent defense nationwide in product liability actions involving failure-to-warn claims. This article expounds upon recent cases that help to entrench the sophisticated user doctrine in many states' case law, to a full or limited degree.
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- Coverage Issues Stemming from Dry Cleaner Contamination SuitsIn recent years, there has been a growing number of dry cleaners claiming to be "organic," "green," or "eco-friendly." While that may be true with respect to some, many dry cleaners continue to use a cleaning method involving the use of a solvent called perchloroethylene, commonly known as perc. And, there seems to be an increasing number of lawsuits stemming from environmental problems associated with historic dry cleaning operations utilizing this chemical.Read More ›
- 'Insurable Interest' and the Scope of First-Party CoverageThis article reviews the fundamental underpinnings of the concept of insurable interest, and certain recent cases that have grappled with the scope of insurable interest and have articulated a more meaningful application of the concept to claims under first-party property policies.Read More ›
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- The Powerful Impact of The Non-Foreclosure Notice of PendencyRPAPL ' 1331 and RPAPL ' 1403 Notices of Pendency are requisite elements for foreclosing a mortgage. <i>See, Chiarelli v. Kotsifos</i>, 5 A.D.3d 345 (a notice of pendency is a prerequisite to obtaining a judgment in a mortgage foreclosure action); <i>Campbell v. Smith</i>, 309 A.D.2d 581, 582 (a notice of pendency is required in a foreclosure action under RPAPL Article 13). In contrast, an ex parte CPLR Article 65 Notice of Pendency (the "Notice") is not required but it is a significant tool in an action claiming title to, or an interest in or the use or enjoyment of, another's land. The filer does not have to make a meritorious showing or post a bond. Article 65 provides mechanisms for the defendant-owner to vacate the Notice that caused an unilaterally imposed restraint on its realty. But, recent case law establishes the near futility of such efforts if the plaintiff has satisfied the minimal statutory requisites for filing the Notice.Read More ›