1. Home
  2. |Insights
  3. |District Court's Markman Ruling Has No Preclusive Effect On PTO Reexam

District Court's Markman Ruling Has No Preclusive Effect On PTO Reexam

Client Alert | 1 min read | 08.24.07

The Federal Circuit, in In Re Trans Texas Holdings Corp., (No. 2006-1559, -1600, Aug. 22, 2007), affirms a Board's Reexamination decision that found that each of the claims of two related patents were invalid under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as obvious over the prior art. The Court rejects the appellant's argument that the Board should have given preclusive effect to a district court's Markman order, which had construed the claims in their favor in a prior litigation. The Court holds that issue preclusion is not warranted because the PTO was not a party to the earlier litigation, and as a result, did not have a "full and fair opportunity" to litigate the claim construction issues.

Insights

Client Alert | 3 min read | 01.21.26

Atlantic Biologicals Opioid DPA: DOJ Continues Ramp Up of Criminal Corporate Healthcare Enforcement

On January 13, 2026, Miami-based pharmaceutical wholesaler Atlantic Biologicals Corporation entered into a two-year DPA, admitting to conspiracy to distribute and dispense controlled substances, including more than 14 million opioid doses to “pill mill” pharmacies in Texas at a markup. The DOJ and DEA underscored the company’s deliberate evasion of compliance checks and disregard for red flags signaling diversion....