Case Briefs
Recent rulings of importance to you and your practice.
Features
The Follow-the-Fortunes Doctrine
This article explores the boundaries of the follow-the-fortunes doctrine. Does it have any limits? Does a cedent have carte blanche to impose its claims decisions and allocations of claims settlements upon a reinsurer without question? Do the answers to the questions depend upon whether the dispute is before a court or an arbitration panel?
Features
The Insurer's Duty and the Four Corners Rule
An insurer has a duty to defend a claim that is arguably within the policy's coverage. While some courts look solely to the complaint to determine the existence of a duty to defend, other courts consider extrinsic facts. This article discusses the parameters of the duty to defend, and identifies the evidence to be considered in analyzing that duty.
NJ Judge Approves $69M Partial Settlement
A federal judge in Newark, NJ, has approved a $69 million settlement in a class action accusing leading insurance brokers of conspiring with carriers to manipulate the market.
Features
State of California v. Continental Insurance Company
In a blow for insurers and contrary to the weight of authority in multiple other juridictions, the California Court of Appeals for the Fourth District recently reversed the trial court on its so-called "no stacking rule" and affirmed the trial court in its "all sums" liability allocation.
Improving Your Internal Controls to Protect the Firm's (and Your Clients') Money
Managing partners of law firms should ensure that there is an appropriate structure of internal controls in place at their firms to protect their firms and clients against fraud. With the economy in a recession, cases of employee fraud are on the rise, and in many instances better controls and more oversight are needed.
Features
The Federal Circuit Attempts to Right the Inequitable Conduct Ship
Several recent decisions have pointed toward a sinking standard for proving inequitable conduct, which has created an atmosphere of uncertainty about the proper scope of the inequitable conduct defense. The Federal Circuit's recent opinion on the subject, <i>Star Scientific, Inc. v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.</i>, appears to be an attempt to right the ship by reiterating the standards for proving inequitable conduct that were established more than 20 years ago.
Features
Who Needs Patents?
The Patent Reform Act of 2007 may soon be recycled as The Patent Reform Act of 2009 and reintroduced in the new Congress. Should this reform become the law, it is likely that inventors will still invent. The author's fear, however, is that without strong patent law, investors will no longer want to invest in unprotected ideas.
Federal Circuit Applies Bilski Standard in Classen
The Federal Circuit's October 2008 decision in <i>In re Bilski</i> created uncertain implications for biotechnology regarding the applicable standard for patent eligibility under 35 U.S.C. §101. In its recent one-paragraph opinion in <i>Classen Immunotherapies v. Biogen IDEC</i>, the Federal Circuit left many issues unexplained, but it did make one thing clear: The <i>Bilski</i> standard, now being applied in the area of biomedical technology, poses a significant threat to the viability of patents claiming diagnostic methods.
Need Help?
- Prefer an IP authenticated environment? Request a transition or call 800-756-8993.
- Need other assistance? email Customer Service or call 1-877-256-2472.
MOST POPULAR STORIES
- The Availability of Self-Help Evictions to Commercial LandlordsA landlord may re-enter leased commercial premises peaceably, without resorting to court process, in those states where it is permitted, if the right to do so is expressly reserved in a commercial lease, either a) upon the tenant's defaulting on the payment of rent or other lease terms, or b) upon termination of the lease or the tenant's abandoning the premises.Read More ›
- Supreme Court Rules Rejection of Trademark License Does Not Rescind Rights of LicenseeMission Product Holdings, Inc. v. Tempnology, LLC The question is whether a debtor's rejection of its agreement granting a license "terminates rights of the licensee that would survive the licensor's breach under applicable nonbankruptcy law."Read More ›
- Bankruptcy Court Cannot Surcharge Credit Bidding Asset Buyer with Expenses of SaleExplaining that the "bankruptcy court had no jurisdiction to take such action," the Fifth Circuit also vacated the district's court's improper ruling that the bankruptcy judge could enter a personal judgment against the asset buyer.Read More ›
- Second Circuit Rejects Arbitration of Debtor's Asserted Discharge ViolationA bankruptcy court properly denied a bank's motion to compel arbitration of a debtor's asserted violation of the court's discharge injunction, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit held.Read More ›
- The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year LaterThe DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.Read More ›