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Supreme Court Holds Bar Against Registration of Immoral or Scandalous Marks Violates the First Amendment
Iancu v. Brunetti The Supreme Court held the bar against registration of immoral or scandalous marks "collided" with well-established free speech doctrine, namely, that laws disadvantaging speech based on the views expressed thereby violate the First Amendment.
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Case on 'Coolcore' Marks Settles a 34 Year Debate Regarding Bankruptcy and IP Law
The U.S. Supreme Court issued its long-awaited decision in <i>Mission Product Holdings, Inc. v. Tempnology </i>, ruling that a trademark licensee can retain its rights under a trademark license agreement that is rejected by the licensor as an executory contract in bankruptcy.
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What Has Merit Management Changed?
It has been nearly two years since the Supreme Court upended the world of the Bankruptcy Code securities safe harbor with its decision in <i>Merit Management Group, LP v. FTI Consulting, Inc.</i>. For all of the speculation regarding its consequences, there have been few subsequent lower court decisions applying <i>Merit Management</i>, however those cases provide valuable guidance to practitioners facing safe harbor litigation as well as transactional lawyers looking to take advantage of safe harbor protections.
Features

The Supreme Court Finally Resolves An Old, Vexing Question: Does "Registration" Mean "Registration"? Answer: "Yes."
In Fourth Estate Pub. Benefit Corp. v. Wall-Street.com, LLC, the Supreme Court resolved a circuit split decades in the making by holding that a copyright is not "registered" within the meaning of the Copyright Act unless and until a registration certificate actually has issued.
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SCOTUS Agrees to Hear Case Determining Federal Registrability of Immoral and Scandalous Trademarks
This case should determine the availability of federal trademark registration for “immoral” and “scandalous” marks – in this case, the acronym “FUCT” for a clothing line.
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FCA and Statute of Limitations: A Puzzle for the Supreme Court
The FCA is not a model of clarity. In a certiorari petition in United States ex rel. Hunt v. Cochise Consultancy, the U.S. Supreme Court will address an area of uncertainty that has led to a three-way circuit split regarding the FCA's statute of limitations. Depending on the outcome, FCA defendants could end up facing even more claims up to a decade old or, alternatively, have a new limitation on FCA actions upon which to rely.
Features

Mystery Subpoena Case at High Court Could Expand U.S. Authority
Rare Supreme Court holiday activity and ongoing news coverage about special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation has drawn much attention to the enigmatic case of <i>In Re Grand Jury Subpoena</i>. The matter is unremarkable, presenting familiar issues of international litigation. Upon further examination, however, the case may have the potential to expand the authority of United States courts over foreign states and their agencies or instrumentalities.
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11th Circuit Weighs in on Intersection of Lanham Act and FDCA Protein Powder Labeling Requirements
A battle between two dietary supplement manufacturers has revived interested in the intersection between the Lanham Act and federal labeling regulations. The issue: can an advertiser challenge a competitor's product label for false advertising under the Lanham Act if it complies with applicable federal regulations?
Features

SCOTUS Hears Arguments on Copyright Registration Approvals
While hearing January 2019 oral arguments before it, the U.S. Supreme Court sounded inclined to resolve a circuit courts' split over copyright registration procedures against copyright holders.
Features

The Supreme Court's Criminal Law Decisions in 2018
<b><i>Part Two of a Two-Part Article</b></i><p>The U.S. Supreme Court last year continued to express concern about government overreach, and otherwise handed down decisions favorable to defendants. Although the Court rendered only one major criminal law decision in that term, many other cases it decided hold important lessons for defense counsel.
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