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Welcome to Federal Circuitry

Federal Circuitry is a data-driven Federal Circuit blog. Our Federal Circuit Statistics empirically analyze quantifiable aspects of the Court. Our En Banc Tracker highlights pending and past petitions. Our Substantive Order Tracker allows you to search less-discussed orders. Check back weekly for Last Week in the Federal Circuit and monthly for our Oral Argument Recap.

Follow us on Twitter @Fed_Circuitry and check out our sister blog, Left Coast Appeals, to keep tabs on the Ninth Circuit.

March 20, 2023 - Last Week in the Federal Circuit
Last Week In The Federal Circuit (March 13 – March 17): A reminder that motivation doesn’t need to be found in the prior art references themselves
By: Brian R. Matsui
The Court had a busy week as the weather begins to turn, and those with school-aged kids begin to plan for spring break. This week we look at the Court’s latest reminder that obviousness is a flexible analysis, so below we provide our usual weekly
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February 21, 2023 - Last Week in the Federal Circuit
Last Week In The Federal Circuit (February 13 – 17): Shining Light On Competing Patent And State Law Claims
By: Seth W. Lloyd
If you’re like me, hanging holiday lights generally sucks any kind of holiday spirit right out of you. This week’s case of the week involves technology that might help. And it resolves (at least at the preliminary injunction stage) competing state tort and federal patent law
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February 07, 2023 - Last Week in the Federal Circuit
Last Week In The Federal Circuit (January 23 – January 27): Furnishing Statutory Meaning
The Supreme Court recently issued its first decision of the Term in Arellano v. McDonough , affirming the Federal Circuit and holding that a statutory provision governing the effective date of a veterans’ benefits application is not subject to equitable tolling. (We wrote about the
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January 30, 2023 - Last Week in the Federal Circuit
Last Week In The Federal Circuit (January 17 – January 20): “Larger Than” Or “Large Enough”?
By: Seth W. Lloyd
If you think claim construction is more fun than watching paint peel, then you’re probably a patent lawyer. And what’s more fun than claim construction? Claim construction with an indefiniteness challenge, as happened in this week’s case of the week. Case of the (recent) week: Grace
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January 17, 2023 - Last Week in the Federal Circuit
Last Week In The Federal Circuit (January 3 – January 6): Corroboration Station
A new year means new Federal Circuit decisions to analyze. Our case of the week recounts an interesting saga of companies copying each other’s patent applications to provoke an interference. And if that’s not enough to grab your attention, the case provides some insight into the
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November 21, 2022 - Last Week in the Federal Circuit
Last Week In The Federal Circuit (November 14-18): No Disclaimer For You!
By: Seth W. Lloyd
Some of you may remember the Federal Circuit’s decision from a few (actually 5!) years ago holding that patent owner statements made in an IPR proceeding may “support a finding of prosecution disclaimer during claim construction.” That decision left unresolved an important question—whether disclaimer statements
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November 10, 2022 - Last Week in the Federal Circuit
Last Week In The Federal Circuit (October 31 – November 4): Keeping It In The (Patent) Family
Claim construction disputes often include arguments based on patents in the same family or materials incorporated by reference. Our case of the week discusses both categories of sources—and illustrates some limits on their use in claim construction. Case of the (recent) week: Finjan LLC v.
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November 02, 2022 - Federal Circuit Insights
When Do Federal Circuit Judges Sit (2022)?
By: Seth W. Lloyd
Now that we’re nearing the end of 2022 (crazy, right?), we thought we’d update our data on when Federal Circuit judges sit. We looked at this in early 2021 ( When Do Federal Circuit Judges Sit? ), and we’ve twice looked at data on how
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October 31, 2022 - Federal Circuit Insights
Will Your Appeal Have Argument Soon? Part II
By: Brian R. Matsui
Now that the Court is open to the public—not just for arguing counsel but for anyone to watch arguments and visit the Court—I thought it was time to take a look at argument timing again. Back in April 2021, I first looked because it
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October 28, 2022 - Last Week in the Federal Circuit
Last Week In The Federal Circuit (October 17 – October 21): Mapping The Section 101 Landscape
As we’ve noted , the Supreme Court is once again considering whether to take up patent eligibility: it recently CVSGed two more Section 101 cases. While we wait for the government’s views, the Federal Circuit will continue resolving Section 101 disputes, likely including some close cases resulting in
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Welcome to Federal Circuitry

Last Week In The Federal Circuit (March 13 – March 17): A reminder that motivation doesn’t need to be found in the prior art references themselves

By: Brian R. Matsui

Last Week In The Federal Circuit (February 13 – 17): Shining Light On Competing Patent And State Law Claims

By: Seth W. Lloyd

Last Week In The Federal Circuit (January 23 – January 27): Furnishing Statutory Meaning

Last Week In The Federal Circuit (January 17 – January 20): “Larger Than” Or “Large Enough”?

By: Seth W. Lloyd

Last Week In The Federal Circuit (January 3 – January 6): Corroboration Station

Last Week In The Federal Circuit (November 14-18): No Disclaimer For You!

By: Seth W. Lloyd

Last Week In The Federal Circuit (October 31 – November 4): Keeping It In The (Patent) Family

When Do Federal Circuit Judges Sit (2022)?

By: Seth W. Lloyd

Will Your Appeal Have Argument Soon? Part II

By: Brian R. Matsui

Last Week In The Federal Circuit (October 17 – October 21): Mapping The Section 101 Landscape