United States Federal Circuit - April 2003 Opinion Summaries

CORE CONCEPTS OF FLORIDA, INC. v. US

Civil Procedure, Contracts, Government Contracts
The non-appropriated funds doctrine bars the Court of Federal Claims from having jurisdiction over a complaint brought under the Contract Disputes Act...

WELLS v. PRINCIPI

Administrative Law, Government Benefits
Because the Secretary of Veterans Affairs was under no obligation to obtain a medical opinion on behalf of plaintiff, the Secretary did not violate...

CONWAY v. US

Tax Law
Because the validity of the Tax Court's decision was reasonably uncertain, it had the power to vacate the First Decision. The Tax Court's "final...

RF DELAWARE, INC. v. PAC. KEYSTONE TECHS., INC.

Intellectual Property, Patent
The district court erred in construing the claim terms "filter bed" and "filter media" in a water filtration patent, and also erred in granting...

HOLDERFIELD v. MERIT SYS. PROT. BD.

Administrative Law, Labor & Employment Law
The Board's dismissal of plaintiff's Individual Right of Action (IRA) appeal for lack of jurisdiction is reversed where the Board's decision contains...

CAMPION v. MERIT SYS. PROT. BD.

Administrative Law, Labor & Employment Law
Plaintiff's nonselection for certain Senior Executive Service (SES) positions for lack of jurisdiction is affirmed where the Board did not err in its...

SILENT DRIVE, INC. v. STRONG INDUS., INC.

Civil Procedure, Intellectual Property, Patent
Personal jurisdiction exists over an out of state defendant where (1) defendant obtained a Texas state court injunction, (2) defendant was a named...

ABRAHAM v. ROCKWELL INT'L CORP.

Attorney's Fees, Environmental Law, Government Contracts
Legal fees and other costs incurred in a successful defense against environmental criminal charges that never ripened into criminal charges are...

BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB CO. v. RHONE-POULENC RORER, INC.

Drugs & Biotech, Intellectual Property, Patent
The district court's holding that defendant committed inequitable conduct in obtaining a patent, involving a semi-synthesis of taxol, a cancer...

BROOKHILL-WILK 1, LLC v. INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.

Health Law, Intellectual Property, Patent
Because the district court erred in construing the limitation "remote location" in a patent directed to systems and methods for performing robotic...