Procedure

October 3, 2016

FCA Will not Reweigh Expert Evidence to Appeal Patent Invalidity

2015 FCA 191 - The FCA dismissed an appeal wherein Alcon sought to reverse a finding of invalidity against its patent by surreptitiously asking the FCA to reweigh the evidence as a challenge against the Federal Court Judge’s findings of fact and preferred expert evidence.
August 22, 2016

FC Bifurcates Infringement & Validity Issues from Section 8 PM(NOC) Proceeding in Hopes of Settlement

2016 FC 720 - The FC bifurcated the issues of infringement and validity from any other section 8 issue in hopes that bifurcation would likely lead to a settlement of all the issues between the parties.
August 19, 2016

Injunctions for Patent Infringement: Only “Some” Connection Between a Product’s Infringing Features And Demand For Competitor’s Product is Required

(No. 14-1802 Fed. Cir.) - The CAFC held that a patentee does not have to prove that the infringing features of a competitor’s product were the exclusive or predominant reason why consumers bought the competitor’s product to obtain an injunction for patent infringement. Rather, it is sufficient to prove that there was some connection between the infringing features and the demand for the competitor’s product.
August 15, 2016

Motion to Stay Denied –Defamation Action and Trade-marks Act Claim Proceed in Parallel

2015 ONSC 7980 - The SCJ decided that the legal tests and the remedies available in a defamation action and an action for false and misleading statements under the Trade-marks Act are different enough that a stay of proceeding to block one action before the conclusion of the other should be denied.
April 12, 2016

FC Discourages Questions Taken “Under Advisement” in Examinations

2015 FC 391 - The Federal Court recognized the increasing and improper use of the phrase "under advisement" in response to questions on examination for discovery.
November 16, 2015

Federal Court Skirts Provincial Property Law and Transfers Patent Ownership

Imperial Oil Resources Ltd v Exxonmobil Upstream, 2015 FC 1218 - The Federal Court has finally stated outright that it has the jurisdiction to vary patent ownership without encroaching upon the realm of provincial contract law.
November 6, 2015

USPTO Design Patent Fee 48% Increase

The USPTO is proposing a 48% increase in government fees to obtain a design patent.
October 7, 2015

Relitigating Conceded Claims is an Abuse of PM(NOC) Proceedings

Gilead Sciences, Inc v Canada (Health), 2015 FC 610 - Gilead's assertion that its patent is valid would be relitigating old issues and an abuse of PM(NOC) proceedings.
September 8, 2015

Federal Court Revisits Schmeiser Differential Method for Calculating Profits

ADIR v Apotex Inc, 2015 FC 721 - In an accounting of profits case, the FC stated that if a non-infringing alternative is to be considered, it “cannot be what one would have done had one complied with the law”.
August 20, 2015

USPTO Proposes AIA Rule Changes

USPTO Proposes AIA Rule Changes - Proposes to affirm the "broadest reasonable interpretation standard" in IPR proceedings and other changes.
August 17, 2015

IPR Proceedings in the US retain the Broadest Reasonable Interpretation Standard for Claim Construction & Strict Claim Amendment Requirements

Microsoft Corporation v Proxyconn, Inc, - The “broadest reasonable interpretation standard” (“BRI”) standard is the standard for claim construction in Inter Partes Review IPR proceedings and newly substituted claims must be demonstrated to be patentable over the prior art of record.
July 5, 2015

ONSC Orders Inspection and Photographs of One-of-a-Kind Home in Copyright Infringement Case

Tan-Jen Ltd v Di Pede, 2015 ONSC 3685 - In a copyright infringement case regarding supposedly one-of-a-kind design moulds for a home's exterior, the Court allowed inspection of the property for valuation purposes and refused a request to keep the court proceedings closed from the public.
May 26, 2015

Interlocutory Injunction Upheld by FCA in Trade-mark Infringement Case

Jamieson Laboratories Ltd v Reckitt Benckiser LLC, 2015 FCA 104 - The FCA upheld an interlocutory injunction preventing Jamieson Laboratories Ltd. from selling its omega-3 fatty acid supplements under the name “OMEGARED”. The injunction was awarded largely because of the finding that Jamieson had strategically rebranded its product line from “Super Krill” To “Omega Red” in order to frustrate the entrance of Reckitt’s “MEGARED” product line into the Canadian market.
May 23, 2015

FCA Upholds Rejection of a Motion for Particulars to Rebut Industrial Design Proprietorship

Imperial Manufacturing Group Inc v Decor Grates Incorporated, 2015 FCA 100 - Faced with the rebuttable presumption that Decor was the proprietor of the industrial design, it was on the plaintiff to adduce evidence to the contrary, not to fish for the supporting facts from Decor during pleadings.
April 25, 2015

A Corporation that Assigned all of its Confidential Intellectual Property has no Standing to Sue for Breach of that Confidential Information

Wolfe v Shawcor Ltd, 2015 ABQB 181 - The Alberta Court determined that a corporation that assigned all of its confidential intellectual property has no standing to sue for breach of that confidential information.
March 26, 2014

Federal Court Upholds Case Management Prothonotary’s Order Regarding Trial Date

Abbvie Corporation v Janssen Inc - 2014 FC 178 - The Court dismissed the appeal of the fixing of a trial date made by the Case Management Prothonotary.
March 21, 2014

FCA Upholds Rejection of Sanofi’s Motion to Amend Its Statement of Defence

Sanofi-Aventis Canada Inc v Teva Canada Limited - 2014 FCA 65 - The Court dismissed Sanofi’s appeal to amend its statement of defence in a PM(NOC) proceeding. It is not sufficient that allowing the amendment would not be unjust. What is required is that any injustice to the other party is capable of being compensated by an award of costs and the interest of justice must be served.