Correspondent
White House correspondent, covers patent, trade and regulatory news
The Tenth Circuit affirmed a district court ruling requiring an insurer to provide full copies of all relevant auto insurance policies to a claimant. The court held that the insurer violated Colorado law by providing only excerpts and that the statutory penalty applies once per claim rather than per request.
The Fifth Circuit reversed a district court ruling that granted state-action immunity to the City of Mansfield in an antitrust dispute. The court held that the Texas Water Code did not clearly authorize the city to act anticompetitively regarding water services.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of an appraisal motion but reversed summary judgment on an insurance claim due to a dispute over prejudice from late notice. The court held that evidence from the insurer's own experts created a jury question on whether the delay in reporting roof damage prejudiced the investigation.
The Fourth Circuit vacated a summary judgment that dismissed a civil rights suit brought by two men wrongfully convicted of murder. The court held that a deceased witness's trial testimony regarding police coercion was admissible and created a triable issue of fact on a fabrication claim.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed a district court judgment finding that Lupin Ltd. did not infringe Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. patents and that certain claims were invalid for obviousness. The court upheld the lower court's claim construction and factual findings regarding the synthesis process and expert testimony.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed a Patent Trial and Appeal Board decision finding a patent obvious. The court held that the Board correctly construed the disputed claim term regarding web browsing interaction data.
The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit denied a request for an injunction pending appeal filed by the Child Advocate for the State of Rhode Island. The court held that the petitioner failed to demonstrate the irreparable harm required to obtain such extraordinary relief.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed a district court's dismissal of a wrongful death and personal injury complaint for lack of standing. The appellate court rejected the appellant's due process claims, noting she relied on fabricated legal authorities.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed a summary judgment ruling in an insurance dispute where the plaintiff failed to prove the timing of hail damage to her roof. The court held that the insured did not meet her burden under Texas law to show the loss occurred during a specific policy period.
The Fifth Circuit vacated a federal agency order fining a natural gas pipeline company for regulatory violations. The court held that the agency failed to provide fair notice and acted arbitrarily in its interpretation of pipeline safety regulations.
