IP News
March 31, 2009
Highlights of the latest intellectual property news from around the country.
In re TS Tech USA Corp.: Curtailing the 'Rocket Docket'
March 31, 2009
Due to its so-called "rocket docket," many patent litigants select the Eastern District of Texas when filing a lawsuit or a declaratory action. However, the Federal Circuit's recent decision in <i>In re TS Tech</i> may substantially curtail this practice.
Acumed v. Stryker: eBay v. MercExchange Revisited
March 31, 2009
In <i>Acumed LLC v. Stryker Corp.</i>, the Federal Circuit affirmed the grant of a permanent injunction enjoining Stryker from making and selling a putatively infringing orthopedic nail product. In so deciding, the Federal Circuit declined to articulate a bright-line rule governing the grant of permanent injunctions in patent infringement actions. Nevertheless, the <i>Acumed</i> decision is instructive with respect to how the courts may apply the rule of <i>eBay Inc. v. MercExchange, L.L.C.</i> in patent infringement cases and the facts that may be adduced to secure — or defeat — the grant of injunctive relief.
IP News
February 26, 2009
Highlights of the latest intellectual property news from around the country.
Sundance v. DeMonte: Federal Circuit Overrules District Court's Holding of Non-obviousness
February 26, 2009
The Federal Circuit issued its decision in <i>Sundance v. DeMonte</i>, overruling the district court's holding of non-obviousness. Applying the standard set forth in <i>KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc.</i>, the court found that the patent was an obvious combination of the prior art and noted that the district court committed two errors by: 1) erroneously allowing a patent attorney, who was not skilled in the relevant technology, to testify regarding obviousness; and 2) vacating the jury verdict of obviousness and granting judgment as a matter of law on non-obviousness, based on its erroneous interpretation of the prior art.
IP News
January 30, 2009
Highlights of the latest intellectual property news from around the country.
In re Swanson: Reaffirming a Substantially Old Question
January 30, 2009
<b>In re Swanson</b> will likely have the effect of encouraging even more third-party ex parte re-examination requests, while only discouraging an applicant's incentive to perform a patent search to provide the best art to the PTO.