Federal Circuit Penalizes ICU Medical, Inc. and Counsel Paul Hastings for Frivolous Patent Infringement Suit By Jamie Wicks – Edited by Joshua Gruenspecht ICU Medical, Inc. v. Alaris Medical Systems, Inc. Federal Circuit, March 13, 2009, No. 2008-1077 Opinion On March 13th, the Federal Circuit unanimously affirmed the United States District Court for the Central District of California, which had granted summary judgment in favor of Alaris in a suit in which ICU claimed infringement of its patents for spiked ... Read More...

S.D.N.Y. Determines Family Guy Parody Is Protected by Fair Use By Leocadie Welling – Edited by Joshua Gruenspecht Bourne Co. v. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation S.D.N.Y, March 16, 2009, 07 Civ. 8580 Opinion (hosted by Exclusive Rights) On March 16, 2009, Judge Batts of the Southern District of New York granted summary judgment for the defendants in a copyright infringement suit against the creators, producers and broadcasters of the television series Family Guy. Plaintiff Bourne Co. is the sole ... Read More...

By Sarah Sorscher*, JD/MPH Candidate, Harvard Law School & Sara Crager, MD/PhD Candidate, Yale Editorial Policy Text of H.R. 1427 Summary Last week, Rep. Henry Waxman and several other representatives unveiled the latest version of a bill designed to lower the price of drugs by encouraging generic competition in biological products (“biologics”). Biologics are products derived from living processes and used to prevent, treat, or cure human illness. Most drugs, in contrast, are synthesized using chemical reactions.  Biologics include products such as vaccines, blood-derived products, antibodies, ... Read More...

In re Bilski Redefined? By Briahna Gray – Edited by Anthony Kammer In re Lewis Ferguson, Darryl Costin and Scott C. Harris Federal Circuit, March 6, 2009, Serial No. 09/387,823 Order On March 6, 2009, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a ruling by the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences that a marketing paradigm for multiple independent software companies fashioned by Lewis Ferguson, Darryl Costin, and Scott C. Harris was not patentable under the U.S. Patent Act, 35 ... Read More...

Mary J. Blige’s “Family Affair” Not a Copyright Violation By Jia Ryu – Edited by Anthony Kammer Jones v. Blige United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, March 9, 2009 Slip Opinion On March 9, 2009, the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed a Michigan district court’s grant of summary judgment for defendant, Mary J. Blige in a copyright infringement case. Plaintiffs Leonard Jones and James E. White had filed suit against Defendants Mary J. ... Read More...