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Apple Inc. v. Optis Cellular Technology, LLC, et al.

Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, No. 2021-1043, 2021-1044, 2021-1046 · judgment December 21, 2020


Certiorari denied · January 18, 2022
Pre-decision estimate: 3% cert probability

Before the decision, well below the 4.1% base rate, with no standout signals pointing toward a grant.

Question presented

Whether the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit may review, by appeal or mandamus, a decision of the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office denying a petition for inter partes review of a patent, where review is sought on the grounds that the denial rested on an agency rule that exceeds the PTO’s authority under the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, is arbitrary or capricious, or was adopted without required notice-and-comment rulemaking.

Counsel of record

For petitioner
Catherine Mary Agnes Carroll
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr

For respondent
William McGinley Jay
Goodwin Procter, LLP

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 2 conferences

Amicus briefs
5 cert-stage

Proceedings

  1. Jan 18 2022
    Petition DENIED.
  2. Dec 29 2021
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/14/2022.
  3. Dec 28 2021
    Reply of petitioner Apple Inc. filed. (Distributed)
  4. Dec 24 2021
    Waiver of the 14-day waiting period for the distribution of the petition under Rule 15.5 filed.
  5. Dec 23 2021
    Brief of respondents Private Respondents in opposition filed.
  6. Dec 17 2021
    Motion to extend the time to file a response DENIED.
  7. Dec 16 2021
    Response to motion to extend the time to file a response from petitioner Apple Inc. filed.
  8. Dec 16 2021
    Reply of Optis Cellular Technology, LLC, et al. in support of request for an extension of time filed.
  9. Dec 15 2021
    Motion to extend the time to file a response from December 23, 2021 to January 24, 2022, submitted to The Clerk.
  10. Nov 23 2021
    Response Requested. (Due December 23, 2021)
  11. Nov 16 2021
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/3/2021.
  12. Nov 15 2021
    Reply of petitioner Apple Inc. filed. (Distributed)
  13. Oct 27 2021
    Brief of respondent United States in opposition filed.
  14. Sep 21 2021
    Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including October 27, 2021, for all respondents.
  15. Sep 20 2021
    Motion to extend the time to file a response from September 27, 2021 to October 27, 2021, submitted to The Clerk.
  16. Aug 27 2021
    Brief amicus curiae of Computer and Communications Industry Association filed.
  17. Aug 27 2021
    Brief amici curiae of Leading Innovators filed.
  18. Aug 27 2021
    Brief amicus curiae of ACT | The App Association filed.
  19. Aug 27 2021
    Brief amicus curiae of Roku, Inc. filed.
  20. Aug 25 2021
    Waiver of right of respondent Optis Cellular Technology, LLC, et al. to respond filed.
  21. Aug 25 2021
    Brief amicus curiae of Jeremy C. Doerre in support of neither party filed.
  22. Aug 05 2021
    Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including September 27, 2021, for all respondents.
  23. Aug 04 2021
    Motion to extend the time to file a response from August 27, 2021 to September 27, 2021, submitted to The Clerk.
  24. Jul 26 2021
    Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due August 27, 2021)