Announcements

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.

June 16, 2023 - Last Week in the Federal Circuit
Last Week In The Federal Circuit (June 5 – June 9): A Nexus For Your Lexus
Summer is finally kicking into gear, but the Federal Circuit isn’t on vacation yet. Last week the Court issued several interesting decisions—including our case of the week, which analyzes the nexus requirement for objective evidence of nonobviousness. Case of the week: Yita LLC v. MacNeil
... ›
May 22, 2023 - Last Week in the Federal Circuit
Last Week In The Federal Circuit (May 15 – May 19): Joint Inventorship and Insignificant Contributions
By: Robert M. Paris
This week’s bacon-related case of the week may lack a certain recognizable savory smell, but it still manages to pack some helpful insights on the law of joint inventorship. Case of the (recent) week: HIP, Inc. v. Hormel Foods Corporation , No. 22-1696 Panel:
... ›
April 25, 2023 - Last Week in the Federal Circuit
Last Week In The Federal Circuit (April 17 – April 21): Inherent Limits And Patent Enablement
By: Seth W. Lloyd
We’re still waiting for the Supreme Court to issue its decision in Amgen v. Sanofi. But in the meantime, the Federal Circuit continues to provide insights into 35 U.S.C. § 112’s requirement to “enable” persons of skill in the art to “make and use” a
... ›
April 18, 2023 - Last Week in the Federal Circuit
Last Week In The Federal Circuit (April 10 – April 14): IPR Statutory Estoppel, In Two Acts
By: Seth W. Lloyd
If the scope of the IPR estoppel statute has been keeping you up at night, our latest case of the (recent) week might help you sleep a little better because it provides clarity on two aspects of the statute’s reach. Case of the (recent)
... ›
April 06, 2023 - Last Week in the Federal Circuit
Last Week In The Federal Circuit (March 27 – March 31): Consulting The Federal Circuit On Statutory Interpretation
While last week may have been spring break for many of our readers, the Federal Circuit didn’t take the week off. It still issued several interesting decisions, including our case of the week this week—which discusses the relationship between the International Trade Commission and other
... ›
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
... ›
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
... ›
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
... ›
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
... ›
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
... ›

Welcome to Federal Circuitry

Last Week In The Federal Circuit (June 5 – June 9): A Nexus For Your Lexus

Last Week In The Federal Circuit (May 15 – May 19): Joint Inventorship and Insignificant Contributions

By: Robert M. Paris

Last Week In The Federal Circuit (April 17 – April 21): Inherent Limits And Patent Enablement

By: Seth W. Lloyd

Last Week In The Federal Circuit (April 10 – April 14): IPR Statutory Estoppel, In Two Acts

By: Seth W. Lloyd

Last Week In The Federal Circuit (March 27 – March 31): Consulting The Federal Circuit On Statutory Interpretation

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