News

  • IP Address Alone Is Insufficient for Copyright Claim​

    September 18, 2018

    An allegation that a defendant is the registered subscriber of an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with infringing activity is not enough to state a claim for direct or contributory copyright infringement, the United States Court of Appeals for The Ninth Circuit held August 27, 2018.
  • Empire TV Show Survives Copyright Suit

    September 18, 2018

    The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit held that there is no substantial similarity between the Fox network’s hit drama “Empire” and actor and producer Clayton Prince Tanksley’s pilot for “Cream.”
  • Real Estate Pricing System Ineligible for Patent Protection​

    September 18, 2018

    The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit held that a computer system for creating and maintaining a massive database for the value of homes and displaying it on an online map is ineligible for patent protection.
  • David Ruschke to Become Senior Advisor to Patents

    September 2, 2018

    USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Chief Judge David P. Ruschke is stepping down from his current role on September 2, 2018, to accept a new position as Senior Advisor to Patents, according to the USPTO.
  • Fees ​USPTO May Not Collect Attorneys’ Fees in Section 145 Actions​

    July 30, 2018

    The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is not entitled to an award of attorneys' fees under the statutory language in 35 U.S.C. 145 stating that "[a]ll the expenses of the proceedings shall be paid by the applicant," the en banc Federal Circuit held July 27, 2018 in a 7-4 decision. Nantkwest, Inc. v. Iancu, Fed. Cir., No. 16-1794, 7/27/2018.