This new one is my favorite.

I thought that there was some chance the court would hear its first AI/IP case. But it denied Thaler's petition following the Friday conference. scotusgate.com/case.php?num...

Two decades of USPTO data reveal a striking V-curve in patent allowance rates. From 71% in 2001 to a 59% low in 2006, then climbing back above 80% by 2020. What changed? https://patentlyo.com/patent/2026/02/the-20-year-allowance-rate-arc-from-trough-to-peak-and-back-again.html

Federal Circuit continues to fortify its mandamus wall, denying five more IPR petitions. Settled expectations, assignor estoppel, and trial timing arguments all rejected. Read the l… https://patentlyo.com/patent/2026/02/five-petitions-five-denials-the-federal-circuits-mandamus-wall-grows-higher.html

For this chart I looked at US patent applications that received a "final rejection" in January 2024 and there status 1-year later in January 2025. About half have issued as patents. In negotiation frame: There is usually another offer after the final offer. patentlyo.com/patent/2025/...

Prof Lefstin had argued the ITC's abstract idea rejection of PDC claims echoed the CCPA's long-abandoned "functional claiming" doctrine. His warning: American Axle risks unraveling decades of settled law allowing properties to define compositions. @uclawsf.bsky.social patentlyo.com/patent/2023/...

The timing is particularly striking given President Trump's recent executive order pausing enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act - suggesting a broader moment of flux in anti-corruption enforcement as a way to level an "uneven playing field for American firms."

The case involved lavish gifts totaling more than $1 million - including gambling chips, private jets, and prostitutes - provided to then-Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar while Billionaire Huang sought approval to build what would have been the tallest skyscraper west of the Mississippi.

The Key Analogy: Just as a sculptor creates art by choosing what to remove from a block of marble, Westlaw's editors create original work by selecting which parts of court opinions to highlight. OMG.

Wilson v. Corning presented novel Seventh Amendment questions about jury trials for hybrid legal-equitable claims. District courts need guidance on these recurring issues. Rule 36 leaves them in the dark.

In re Google shows even cases with top appellate counsel (Williams & Connolly) get summary affirmances. This was even a fun patent - claiming a method of finding "hot news"

Lu v. Hyper Bicycles - a design patent case where defendant's CEO admitted designs were "based upon the drawings" in Lu's patents. Perfect opportunity to clarify evidence needed for summary judgment in design patent cases. Instead: silence from the Federal Circuit.

Key impact falls on Supervisory Patent Examiners (SPEs) and PTAB judges - management positions outside union protection. All of those folks will be returning to the Office - as soon as this week. Space constraints though will mean a phased return.

USPTO Acting Director Stewart has so far remained silent except to announce full implementation of all White House orders and policies.

A joint IPO & AIPLA letter to Congress warns that these policies will hinder the USPTO’s ability to meet its mission. The return-to-office mandate for #PTAB judges, many of whom were hired under remote work policies, is particularly concerning - They will all be back in the office Feb 24.

I write: folks across the spectrum from right to left agree that current White House changemaking is following a brutalist approach that treats all federal employees and agencies as interchangeable parts rather than recognizing their unique roles, specialized expertise, and operational requirements.

Here is the offending tweet - question is whether Grecco waited too long to seek his copyright claim.

Case 4: Port of Tacoma, et al. v. Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, 24-350 asking: Whether Section 505 of the Clean Water Act authorizes citizens to invoke federal courts to enforce conditions of state-issued pollutant-discharge permits that mandate a greater scope of coverage than required by the CWA

Case 3: FS Credit Opportunities Corp., et al. v. Saba Capital Master Fund, Ltd., et al., 24-345 asking: Whether Section 47(b) of the Investment Company Act creates an implied private right of actio

Case 2: Borochov, v. Islamic Republic of Iran, et al., 24-277 asking: Whether the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act's terrorism exception extends jurisdiction to claims arising from a foreign state's material support for a terrorist attack that injures or disables, but does not kill, its victims

Case 1: Fiehler v. Mecklenburg, et al., 23-1360 asking: Whether a court has the power to disregard evidence of the location of a water boundary from a federal survey based on subsequent evidence of the body of water's location.

John Sauer has been nominated as the SG and is pending Senate confirmation. Sauer was recently missouri's SG and also successfully argued Trump's immunity case before the Supreme Court and involved in anti-transgender litigation.

📜 Art III §2 of Constitution gives SCOTUS original jurisdiction over state v. state disputes.

Question before SCOTUS in petition filed by Minnesota: Does Minnesota's 21+ permit requirement align with historical principles underlying 2A? Could affect similar age restrictions in 30+ other states. #GunControl #ConstitutionalLaw

Rahimi (2024) clarified Bruen: courts should focus on historical principles behind regulations, not simply search for exact historical matches. 8th Circuit may have misapplied this standard. #SCOTUS #Rahimi

Another Second Amendment Petition to the Supreme Court. This one from Minnesota. The 8th Circuit ruled MN law barring <21 from getting a public carry permit violates the Second Amendment. Big implications for age restrictions on firearms nationwide. #SecondAmendment #GunLaws

In the 1st Circuit, all 5 active judges were appointed by democrats

Among the 8th Circuit Judges, 11 of the 12 were appointed by a republican president: 2 - George HW Bush 5 - George W Bush 1 - Barack Obama 4 - Donald Trump (This includes 1 active senior status judge).

Interesting gap: Court failed to address whether patent owner's statement that it "has not and will not bring an infringement suit" can defeat standing. Could be important for future cases.

Standing was an issue in this case - court found sufficient risk of suit based on customer lawsuits & expert testimony, without addressing whether customer indemnity demands alone would suffice.