Maria Santos

Correspondent

Maria Santos

White House correspondent, covers patent, trade and regulatory news

Business & Regulatory patent

Decisions covered by Maria Santos

639 decisions
Apr 2 2026
5th Cir. 25-10489 Panel Decision

Porch.com Plaintiff— v. Gallagher Re, Incorporated, formerly known as Willis Re Defendant—

The Fifth Circuit reversed the dismissal of Porch.com's breach of contract claims against Gallagher Re, holding that the district court erred by resolving factual disputes regarding the broker's post-placement administrative duties. The appellate court affirmed the dismissal of claims related to record retention and sanctions compliance but remanded the case to allow a jury to determine if Gallagher failed to properly administer reserve funding and collateral verification.

Bankruptcy Civil Contract
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Apr 2 2026
3rd Cir. 25-1986 Panel Decision

LILI WAN v. CENTRAL TRANSPORT LLC

The Third Circuit affirmed the denial of Lili Wan's motion for relief from judgment, ruling that pro se litigants must adhere to the same procedural rules as represented parties. The court held that a failure to submit evidentiary material opposing summary judgment cannot be cured post-judgment through claims of excusable neglect or newly discovered evidence.

Civil Summary Judgment Tort / Personal Injury
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Apr 2 2026
6th Cir. 25-1676 Published

RANDY KRIS RAMGOOLAM v. RITU GUPTA

The Sixth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a federal lawsuit seeking financial support under an Affidavit of Support, ruling that a prior state divorce judgment precluded the claim. The court held that the federal statute does not override the preclusive effect of a final state court order that explicitly resolved all spousal support issues between the parties.

Civil Immigration (Civil)
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Apr 2 2026
Fed. Cir. 24-2246 Panel Decision

CENTRIPETAL NETWORKS, LLC v. KEYSIGHT TECHNOLOGIES, INC

The Federal Circuit affirmed the Patent Trial and Appeal Board's finding that Centripetal's network security patent claims were unpatentable because a prior user guide served as an available printed publication. The court upheld the Board's claim construction and factual findings regarding the public accessibility of the reference, leaving the patent invalid.

Civil Intellectual Property
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Apr 2 2026
8th Cir. 25-1033 Panel Decision

Jet Midwest International Co., Ltd v. Jet Midwest Group, LLC; Paul Kraus; Karen Kraus F. Paul Ohadi, in his capacity as trustee and legal representative of the F. Paul Ohadi Tru...

The Eighth Circuit affirmed the district court's award of attorney's fees but reversed the calculation of prejudgment interest, holding that Missouri's statutory rate applies. The court also vacated the award of expert witness fees, ruling they cannot be recovered as part of attorney's fees under Missouri law.

Bankruptcy Civil
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Apr 2 2026
7th Cir. 24-1613 Panel Decision

Stingley v. Laci Transport Inc.

The Seventh Circuit affirmed summary judgment for trucking defendants, holding that shuttle drivers moving auto parts within Illinois were engaged in interstate commerce. Consequently, the drivers are exempt from state and federal overtime wage requirements under the Motor Carrier Act.

Civil Labor Summary Judgment
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Apr 2 2026
7th Cir. 24-3252 Panel Decision

ROBERT W. BARKER and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. EDWARD BOETTCHER and BEVERLY BOETTCHER

The Seventh Circuit affirmed a district court order that remanded a state property dispute to state court while retaining a separate subpoena enforcement proceeding in federal court. The court held that the federal officer removal statute allows federal agencies to remove only ancillary proceedings involving their employees, not the underlying state-law case.

Civil Real Property
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Apr 2 2026
9th Cir. 3:22-cv-03724- Published

LEGALFORCE RAPC WORLDWIDE, PC v. LEGALFORCE, INC., a Japanese corporation

The Ninth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a Lanham Act trademark infringement claim, holding that a company's sale of its own equity does not constitute "goods or services" under the statute. The court reasoned that because equity is an ownership interest rather than a marketable product offered to customers, advertising and selling shares cannot support a trademark infringement action.

Civil Intellectual Property
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