In a special edition of their Law360 column on noteworthy Federal Circuit decisions, partners Jeremiah Helm and Sean Murray provide an overview of five significant rulings the court issued in 2024.
While Helm and Murray maintain that the past year at the Federal Circuit did not necessarily reveal a particular trend in the court’s jurisprudence, “the year included several significant decisions that helped clarify distinct areas of law.”
The authors offer insight into several rulings “that are poised to influence the Federal Circuit – and patent law as a whole – in 2025 and beyond,” including:
- LKQ v. GM Global Technology Operations, a case that represents a pivotal shift in design-patent law;
- EcoFactor Inc v. Google LLC, an ongoing case with the potential to reshape the law governing the admissibility of expert testimony;
- Allergan USA Inc. v. MSN Laboratories Private Ltd., which addressed the interaction of the doctrine of obviousness-type double patenting and “patent term adjustments”;
- Sanho Corp. v. Kaijet Technology International Limited Inc., which clarified the scope of the AIA’s safe harbor for inventions that are publicly disclosed by the inventor; and
- Weber Inc. v. Provisur Technologies Inc., a case that made it easier for defendants to establish that their own product manuals are invalidating prior art.
Read the full article here.
Later this month, Knobbe Martens will release its inaugural Federal Circuit Year in Review report, edited by Sean Murray and Jeremiah Helm, including detailed analysis of key 2024 Federal Circuit cases and practical guidance on notable developments affecting IP law. To learn more, visit knobbe.com.
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