United States Federal Circuit - November 2002 Opinion Summaries

MIDDLETON, INC. v. MINNESOTA MINING & MFG. CO.

Intellectual Property, Patent
In claims relating to patents for floor finishing materials, the district court failed to correctly construe the claims and determine whether...

HADDON v. EXECUTIVE RESIDENCE AT THE WHITE HOUSE

Civil Rights, Constitutional Law, Government Contracts, Labor & Employment Law
Statements made to the media by a White House employee were not statements for which a public employee was entitled to protection under the First...

FIREMAN'S FUND INS. CO. v. ENGLAND

Civil Procedure, Contracts, Government Contracts
A Board of Contract Appeals action, dismissing the portion of claims relating to delays before a takeover agreement, was a final decision giving rise...

HERNDON v. PRINCIPI

Administrative Law, Civil Procedure, Government Benefits, Labor & Employment Law
The Board of Veterans' Appeals' denial of regional office jurisdiction to review an October 1984 rating action was properly affirmed, because a...

MORAN v. OFFICE OF PERS. MGMT.

Family Law, Government Benefits, Labor & Employment Law
An amended court order, reducing a former spouse's survivor benefits provided in a divorce decree, was a "modification" of that decree which 5 U.S.C....

SCHISM v. US

Contracts, Government Benefits, Military Law
The Air Force Secretary lacked the authority to promise free and full medical care in the 1950's, under 5 U.S.C. section 301, in view of annual...

VERVE, L.L.C. v. CRANE CAMS, INC.

Intellectual Property, Patent
In claims from patents relating to rods for internal combustion engines, 1) the court erred in requiring that intrinsic evidence of the specification...

WILLIAMS v. PRINCIPI

Administrative Law, Government Benefits
The U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) correctly determined that the stipulation set forth in Nehmer v. United States Veterans'...

GOLAN v. PINGEL ENT., INC.

Antitrust & Trade Regulation, Commercial Law
Dismissal of federal and state antitrust claims is affirmed where plaintiff failed to show that defendants possessed monopoly power in the relevant...

O'KEEFE v. US POSTAL SERV.

Government Contracts, Labor & Employment Law
The Merit Systems Protection Board abused its discretion in finding that a U.S. Postal Service worker's on-the-job conduct was so egregious as to...