News & Publications

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on April 22, 2020, rejected Hologic, Inc.’s attempt to block sales for Minerva Surgical, Inc.’s surgical products.

The US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit on April 16, 2020, affirmed a lower court ruling denying successful guitar maker and technician Buddy Webster’s copyright infringement claims against Dean Guitars.

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on April 14, 2020, affirmed a Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) ruling that denied registration of Stratus Networks Inc.’s trademark on the grounds of a likelihood of confusion with a trademark registered to UBTA-UBET Communications, Inc.

The United States Supreme Court on April 20, 2020, held that 35 U.S.C. § 314(d), which states that the Patent Trial and Appeal Board's (PTAB) decision to institute an inter partes review (IPR) is nonappealable, also precludes judicial review of a time bar determination under 35 U.S.C. § 315(b).

The International Trade Commission (ITC) on April 7, 2020, awarded and order to Juul Labs Inc. that blocks imports from four e-cigarette rivals.

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on April 8, 2020, held that the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) erred in ruling that an undefined color trademark on packaging can’t be distinctive enough for registration unless consumers already recognize it as an indicator of product source.

House & Senate Judiciary Lawmakers sent a letter to USPTO Director Andrei Iancu requesting information on the impact the coronavirus public health crisis has had on the operations of the USPTO.

The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) on April 14, 2020, designated as precedential Lectrosonics, Inc. v. Zaxcom, Inc. Case IPR2018-01129, Paper 33 (PTAB Jan. 24, 2020) (precedential).

The US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit on April 7, 2020, held that part of a conveyor belt fastener with scalloped edges wasn’t entitled to trade dress protection because it was utilitarian.

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on April 8, 2020, held that a patent covering a process for preparing polymers was wrongly found invalid based on another company’s earlier use of a similar process that may have been confidential.