Maria Santos

Correspondent

Maria Santos

White House correspondent, covers patent, trade and regulatory news

Business & Regulatory patent

Decisions covered by Maria Santos

1,023 decisions
Mar 19 2026
1st Cir. 24-1494 Panel Decision

ZipBy USA LLC v. Parzych

The First Circuit affirmed a district court judgment holding a former company president liable for breach of fiduciary duty and contract after he attempted to acquire his former employer's target company for himself. The court upheld the jury's damages award and the permanent injunction while agreeing that the evidence did not support a finding of trade secret misappropriation.

Civil Intellectual Property
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Mar 19 2026
1st Cir. 24-1586 Panel Decision

ZipBy USA LLC v. Parzych

The First Circuit affirmed a district court judgment holding a former corporate president liable for breaching fiduciary duties and contract terms by attempting to acquire a target company for himself. While the appellate court upheld the jury's findings on breach of contract and fiduciary duty, it agreed that the evidence was insufficient to support a verdict on trade secret misappropriation.

Civil Intellectual Property
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Mar 19 2026
1st Cir. 24-1500 Panel Decision

ZipBy USA LLC v. Parzych

The First Circuit affirmed the district court's judgment, upholding a jury verdict against a former executive for breaching fiduciary duties and contracts while attempting to acquire his former company. The court also agreed with the district court's decision to set aside the jury's verdict on trade secret claims, finding the information at issue did not meet the legal definition of a trade secret.

Civil Intellectual Property
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Mar 19 2026
9th Cir. 2:23-cv-00811-SPG-JPR Unpublished

LINDSEY NIKOLA v. PETER FOLEY and UNITED STATES SKI & SNOWBOARD

The Ninth Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of general jurisdiction claims but reversed its dismissal of specific jurisdiction over certain tort claims against USA Ski & Snowboard and Peter Foley. The court held that California courts may exercise specific personal jurisdiction over the defendants regarding sexual harassment and negligence claims arising from training camps held in the state.

Administrative / Agency Review Civil
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Mar 19 2026
9th Cir. 2:24-cv-00417-SAB Unpublished

JUN DAM v. MARK D. WALDRON, Chapter 7 Trustee; Ms. PAMELA MARIE EGAN Esquire Bankruptcy Counsel; POTOMAC LAW GROUP, PLLC; GIGA WATT BANKRUPTCY ESTATE

The Ninth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Jun Dam's claims against a bankruptcy trustee and counsel, ruling that Dam lacked prudential standing to assert third-party rights. However, the court vacated the dismissal with prejudice, instructing the district court to dismiss the claims without prejudice due to a lack of subject-matter jurisdiction.

Bankruptcy Civil Standing
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Mar 19 2026
9th Cir. 3:24-cv-00812- Published

Sandler v. Modernizing Medicine, Inc.

The Ninth Circuit reversed a district court's denial of a motion to compel arbitration, holding that a severability clause does not negate a clear and unmistakable delegation of validity challenges to an arbitrator. The court ruled that federal law, not state law, governs the interpretation of such delegation clauses under the Federal Arbitration Act.

Civil Contract
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Mar 19 2026
Fed. Cir. 24-1285 Panel Decision

APPLE INC v. INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION MASIMO CORPORATION, CERCACOR LABORATORIES, INC 2024-1285

The Federal Circuit affirmed the International Trade Commission's finding that Apple Inc. violated Section 337 of the Tariff Act by importing Apple Watches that infringed Masimo's blood oxygen patents. The court upheld the Commission's determinations that Masimo satisfied the domestic industry requirement and that the asserted patents were valid and infringed.

Civil Intellectual Property
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Mar 19 2026
Fed. Cir. 26-123 Panel Decision

In re VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA, INC

The Federal Circuit denied Volkswagen's petition for a writ of mandamus, rejecting the argument that the USPTO Director's discretion to deny inter partes review violates the nondelegation doctrine. The court held that the decision to institute or deny IPR is an executive function, not a legislative one, and remains unreviewable under the statute.

Civil Constitutional Intellectual Property
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