Supreme Court Declines Review of Background Check Patent Case Amid Judge Suspension Controversy

The U.S. Supreme Court has decided not to review an appeal concerning a background check patent, which had previously been invalidated on the basis of claiming merely an abstract idea. The appeal was lodged by the company owning the patent, which argued that it had been denied a fair hearing at the Federal Circuit. The company contended that this alleged unfairness resulted from the ongoing suspension of Judge Pauline Newman from the bench. Further details on the case can be found in Law360’s coverage, which describes how the Court’s refusal to hear the case effectively leaves the Federal Circuit’s decision intact. This move is especially notable given the controversy surrounding Judge Newman’s suspension and its perceived impact on the fairness of proceedings at the Circuit level.