Standard of Review

December 29, 2021
Photograph of the "ZARA" trademark in a sign above a Zara storefront.

Trademark Opposition by Fashion Giant ZARA Remitted to Federal Court

The Federal Court of Appeal held that the trial judge cannot intervene in a trademark opposition decision in the absence of any errors by the Board.
November 23, 2021
Photograph of white pills containing a natural health product

FCA Upholds Refusal to Grant Natural Health Product Licence

Health Canada refused to grant a natural health product license to Canada RNA Biochemical Inc. for its oral lumbrokinase capsules marketed as "Boluke".
August 23, 2021
photo of a hockey stick and a hockey puck on an ice rink.

And He Scores! Patent Infringement Suit Against CCM Hockey Dismissed

2021 FCA 166: The Federal Court of Appeal's observations on the use of prosecution history demonstrate that courts continue to adapt to recent amendments to patent law.
June 4, 2020
Hand in rubber glove holding a spray bottle of bleach

Federal Court of Appeal Confirms New Standard of Review in Trademark Appeals

The Federal Court of Appeal (“FCA”) has clarified how Vavilov's standard of review will apply to decisions made by the Trademarks Opposition Board (“TMOB”).
January 23, 2020
Photo of a judge's golden gavel in court.

How the Supreme Court’s New Standard of Review Will Impact IP

2019 SCC 65, 2019 SCC 66 - The new standard of review will be applied to decisions by the Patent Office, Trademark Office, PAB, and TTAB.
April 9, 2019

FCA Confirms Test To Admit New Evidence on Appeal From TMOB

2019 FCA 63 - FCA confirms long standing test for admission of new evidence in judicial review of TMOB decision.
October 6, 2016

FC continues to demonstrate high degree of deference to discretionary orders of prothonotaries

2016 FC 318 - The Federal Court continues to demonstrate a high degree of deference owed to discretionary orders made by prothonotaries.
October 4, 2016

FCA Alters the Standard of Review of Prothonotary Decisions

2016 FCA 215 - The FCA has held that the standard of review applicable to discretionary orders made by prothonotaries that was enunciated in Canada v. Aqua-Gem Investments Ltd. should be abandoned and replaced withthe standard that was set out by the Supreme Court of Canada in Housen v. Nikolaisen.
October 6, 2015

FCA Nudges SCC to Consider that Claim Construction should be Reviewed on Reasonableness Standard

Abb Technology AG, ABB Inc v Hyundai Heavy Industries Co, Ltd, 2015 FCA 181 - The FCA suggested that although claim construction is reviewed on a correctness standard, claim construction is so heavily reliant on expert witnesses that perhaps it should be reviewed on a palpable and overriding error standard.
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.
February 23, 2015

United States Supreme Court Clarifies that Claim Construction can Involve Subsidiary Factual Disputes that are Reviewed on a Clear Error Standard

Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc, et al v Sandoz, Inc, et al, 574 US __ (2015) - United States Supreme Court clarified that claim construction can involve subsidiary factual disputes that are reviewed on a clear error standard, while the ultimate question of claim construction is reviewed de novo.
January 30, 2014

Commissioner’s Decision Upheld on Judicial Review

University of California v Commissioner of Patents [2014 FC 80]   Background The Applicant – University of California – sought judicial review pursuant to s. 18.1 […]