Intellectual Property Law

Comments on the Northern District's Local Patent Rules
Happy Thanksgiving to our readers, and here's a post-holiday treat for aficionados of patent litigation procedures. Yesterday, the Patent Local Rules Advisory Subcommittee to the United States District Court for the Northern District of California put out a call for public comment concerning the Patent Local Rules and any possible amendments to those rules...

9th Circuit Modifies Local Patent Rules
The local patent rules for the Northern District of California have always been viewed both by those in our district as well as other patent lawyers and judges as the leading edge for thoughtful and efficient management of patent litigation...

Federal Circuit Affirms that Northern Districts Patent Local Rules Have Strong Bite
In two recent decisions, the Federal Circuit has affirmed that patent holders must lay all their cards on the table in their infringement contentions served pursuant to the Northern District's Patent Local Rules, and that if they do not do so or otherwise fail to comply with the requirements of the Patent Local Rules, their infringement claims may be summarily...

Speedy Patent Trials Check Out the Northern District of California
We mediators long for the day when we can no longer use the expense, delay and uncertainty of trial as a good reason to settle your patent litigation.  Why?  Because mediation, as Diane Levin recently wrote, is simply an alternative -- not necessarily the "appropriate" -- means of resolving your clients' dispute...

New Rules
While not to date considered a rocket docket, the patent litigation rulebook crafted in the Northern District of California has been an inspiration for other districts: the Eastern District of Texas and Southern District of New York included...

Patent Lawsuit Filings Down in July 2008
     According to statistics compiled by Kyle Fleming at the Patent Appeal Tracker Blog using PACER data, there were 241 patent litigation cases filed in July 2008 in 50 different judicial districts...

Discouraging Union Organizers
Strict work place rules

California Supreme Court Proposition 8 Decision
Court Rejects Challenges to Proposition 8, but Finds Marriages Valid

Selection of State Supreme Court Judges
How State Court Judges are Selected

Dumb California Laws
Stupid Laws in the Sunshine State

VA Sets New Benefit Rules for Agent Orange-Related Ilnesses
Agent Orange-Related Ilnesses VA Sets New Benefit Rules

Zantac Patent
GlaxoSmithKline and Cypress Pharmaceutical settle patent infringement dispute.

Soliris Patent
Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. agrees to pay the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation a $10 million patent infringement settlement.

DRAM Patent
ProMOS Technologies and Mosel Vitelic pay MOSAID Technologies an undisclosed patent infringement settlement.

California Labor Laws
alleged violations of California labor laws such as overtime pay, discrimination and harassment.

Sony
to Pay $18.5 Million For Patent Infringment