United States Federal Circuit - November 2000 Opinion Summaries

LSI INDUS. INC. v. HUBBELL LIGHTING, INC.,

Civil Procedure
The Ohio Supreme Court has established that "systematic and continuous contacts" may provide a basis for general jurisdiction, notwithstanding the...

CONSOLIDATED EDISON CO. OF NEW YORK, INC. v. RICHARDSON

Civil Procedure
Where plaintiffs have an interest in proceeds to be distributed from a pool and excessive award to one claimant results in smaller pro rata...

CONSOLIDATED EDISON CO. OF NEW YORK, INC. v. RICHARDSON

Civil Procedure, Contracts
Agency's interpretation of contract terms is not entitled to deferential review as interpretation of a statute or regulation would be.

FESTO CORP. v. SHOKETSU KINZOKU KOGYO KABUSHIKI CO., LTD.

Patent
An amendment to a patent application that narrows the scope of a claim for any reason related to the statutory requirements for a patent will give...

JVC CO. OF AM. v. US

International Trade
The United States Customs Service properly classified appellant-s imported video camera recorders under subheading 8525.30.00 of the Harmonized Tariff...

MONASTERI v. MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BD.

Administrative Law
5 CFR 351.201(d) specifically precludes Merit Systems Protection Board jurisdiction over special plans for reduction in force of the State...

BURKHARDT v. GOBER

Civil Procedure
The United States Court of Veterans Appeals did not have jurisdiction over an application for costs and fees, submitted under the Equal Access to...

WATTS v. XL SYSTEMS, INC.

Intellectual Property, Patent
When claim language is not clear on its face, the court must consult the specification to determine patentee definitions for the terms.

FERNANDEZ v. DEPT. OF THE ARMY

Military Law
The Veterans Program Enhancement Act of 1998, at 38 USC 4324(c), did not make the substantive provisions of the Uniformed Services Employment and...

GIESLER v. US

Government Contracts
A failure to read a clause in a contract is not an excusable misreading of the specification, and the government does not have a duty to verify the...