The U.S. Supreme Court is gearing up to hear arguments in the contentious case of Department of Labor v. Sun Valley Orchards, LLC, a case pivotal to the interpretation of the public-rights doctrine. This case deals with the Department of Labor’s (DOL) authority under the H-2A visa program for temporary immigrant workers and its impact…
The United States International Trade Commission has issued a decision banning the importation of certain fish tapes distributed by Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp. This decision comes after an administrative law judge’s ruling earlier this year. Although Milwaukee Electric Tool was cleared of allegations regarding infringement of certain patents held by Klein Tools, the company was…
The upcoming argument in Department of Labor v Sun Valley Orchards, scheduled for November 10, brings a challenging constitutional issue to the U.S. Supreme Court. At its core, the case questions the constitutional validity of Congress delegating the authority to adjudicate disputes related to employment agreements involving temporary immigrant workers to the executive branch, specifically…
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has announced the addition of two new administrative law judges, broadening its capability to address increasing intellectual property (IP) disputes. This change elevates the total number of judges at the ITC to seven, reflecting the commission’s ongoing commitment to efficiently manage its caseload. The appointments include a former Patent…
In a notable legal challenge, Altria has petitioned the Fourth Circuit to reverse a district court’s decision that permits a patent dispute initiated by Juul Labs to move forward in the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC). Altria argues this arrangement violates the Constitution, asserting that such private patent disputes should reside in federal courts. This…
The recent decision by a divided National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has concluded that the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was justified in its decision to terminate one of its staff attorneys. This reversal overturns a previous ruling by an administrative law judge, who had earlier found that the firing was in violation of labor…
On October 29, 2026, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) announced it will revisit several aspects of an administrative law judge’s decision, which found that Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Asus and another company selling Wi-Fi devices had infringed on patents held by Netgear. This latest development adds another layer to ongoing complexities surrounding intellectual property rights…
The Supreme Court has declined to revive a regulation from the Biden administration that would allow immigration judges to exercise “administrative closure” to suspend certain deportation proceedings. In a recent order, the Court refused to grant a request from multiple cities and a legal service group aiming to halt an agreement that nullified the regulation….
Recent developments following the East Fork Valley contamination incident have raised significant concerns regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) regulatory authority over toxic chemicals. In a case that has reverberated through environmental law circles, the EPA’s jurisdictional reach is being scrutinized, potentially reshaping how chemical regulatory frameworks operate in the United States. East Fork involved…
The United States Supreme Court recently agreed to hear two significant cases in its upcoming term, adding to a docket that continues to attract widespread interest from legal practitioners and scholars. Both cases could potentially shape critical areas of law in the coming years. The first of these cases is set to address the controversial…
In a move with significant implications for administrative law, U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer has urged the Supreme Court to substantially limit the authority of federal courts to vacate government regulations on a nationwide scale. This request, submitted in a recent legal filing, aims to redefine judicial intervention in regulatory processes. Some members of…
The ongoing discourse surrounding deference doctrines in judicial decision-making has gained renewed attention due to a criminal sentencing case recently deliberated in the U.S. Supreme Court. Justice Neil Gorsuch expressed concerns that deferring to the U.S. Sentencing Commission’s interpretations of federal guidelines could significantly impact the court’s established stance against certain deference doctrines. While Justice…
The start of the new Supreme Court term appears to be shaping up to be less controversial than previous ones, and for many in the legal field, this is welcome news. Unlike the previous terms which have seen contentious debates and significant rulings on social issues, this term is poised to focus on less polarizing…
The Trump administration has recently pushed the D.C. Circuit to authorize the removal of U.S. Copyright Office leader Shira Perlmutter. This move comes despite the recent Supreme Court decision that temporarily shields Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, aspiring to differentiate Perlmutter’s circumstances from the Cook case. The administration contends that while Cook benefits from protection…
In a significant legal development, Crocs Inc. has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to review a critical procedural question regarding the timing of appeals from federal agency rulings. This move follows a decision by the Federal Circuit, which deemed Crocs’ appeal in a trademark dispute untimely. The case in question involves a mixed ruling from…
The United States Supreme Court has permitted the administration of former President Donald Trump to proceed with a plan that involves using a modified version of a centralized database to verify voters’ citizenship. This decision overturns an earlier ruling by a federal judge that had previously blocked the government from implementing the initiative, citing concerns…
In a recent decision, a federal court in Ohio dismissed a lawsuit from a patent attorney attempting to halt disciplinary proceedings initiated by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The court found that the attorney’s constitutional challenge was based on a misinterpretation of what it described as a “plain, unambiguous and easily understood” statute….
Apple Inc. has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to review a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which upheld the International Trade Commission’s (ITC) finding that certain Apple Watch models infringed patents held by Masimo Corporation. Apple contends that the Federal Circuit improperly lowered the threshold for establishing a domestic…
In a move highlighting the ongoing tension between branches of the U.S. government, two senior House Democrats have asked the D.C. Circuit Court to deny the Trump administration’s assertion of authority to remove Shira Perlmutter, the head of the U.S. Copyright Office. This request is premised on the claim that only the Librarian of Congress…
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is set to review aspects of an administrative law judge’s decision regarding a patent dispute involving four patents on glow fish tape and a safety helmet system. The legal confrontation is between competing tool manufacturers contesting the validity of these patents, which was previously determined to be intact by…
In a recent ruling, Judge Myong J. Joun of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This order effectively blocks HUD’s attempt to cease funding for the Private Enforcement Initiatives (PEI) under the Fair Housing Act by…
On Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit annulled a lower court ruling that had stopped the Trump administration from pausing federal financial assistance, including grants and loans. The decision stemmed from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) rescinding its previous memorandum, which led the appellate court to deem…
Judges across various jurisdictions are increasingly considering a “pro-taxpayer” approach when interpreting ambiguous tax statutes. This momentum is notably gaining traction in light of recent court opinions that seek to mitigate the complexities and perceived biases inherent in tax law. The approach advocates for resolving ambiguous tax provisions in favor of the taxpayer, challenging the…
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has positioned itself against an Ohio federal court halting disciplinary proceedings involving a patent attorney who is currently suing the agency. Central to the case is the attorney’s contention regarding an administrative law judge from outside the USPTO presiding over his discipline case. Despite these claims, the USPTO…
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has taken a significant step in the ongoing legal battle between Juul and Altria by vacating an administrative law judge’s prior ruling that had deemed a Juul patent invalid. This decision effectively revives Juul’s case against Altria’s NJOY, creating renewed legal tensions in the competitive vaping industry. The ITC’s…