Judge Pauline Newman, touted as the nation’s oldest active federal judge, was accorded significant praise at an intellectual property conference located in suburban Washington, D.C. This adulation was extended notwithstanding the fact that her colleagues on the bench have prevented her from handling cases for at least a year.
Remarkably, the 96-year-old jurist, a few of her law clerks, and a previous colleague avoided discussion on the controversy surrounding her health and standing on the US Court of Appeal for the Federal Circuit. Newman was scrutinized for allegedly lacking the competence to execute her judicial responsibilities and was subsequently suspended after rejecting testing mandated by her colleagues.
Presenters chose to focus on Newman’s trailblazing career during the reception on Thursday night, an integral component of the annual fall conference held by the Center for Intellectual Property x Innovation Policy at George Mason University.
Nevertheless, the amicability in evidence at the conference is not mirrored in Newman’s relationship with her colleagues on the court. Newman was suspended from receiving new cases in an order issued by her fellow jurists on the Federal Circuit in September. The phrasing used by the other 11 active judges in their suspension order was a combination of commendatory and censuring.
The recent conference is the latest instance in a series of events hosted by patent law groups, each focused on lauding Newman, noted for her strong defenses—in opinions and dissents—of robust patent rights. Notably, Newman was inducted into the IPWatchdog Hall of Fame at a ceremony hosted by the blog and conference organizer just days prior to the suspension.
For a more detailed insight into Judge Newman’s story, visit the full article here.