Yesterday, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in Abitron Austria GmbH v. Hetronic Int’l, Inc. on the foreign reach of the Lanham Act that prohibit trademark infringement, finding that the implicated sections are not extraterritorial and extend only to claims where the infringing use in commerce is domestic.
Appointments
The Honourable Monica Biringer, a Judge of the Tax Court of Canada, was appointed a Judge of the Federal Court of Appeal. Appointments were also made today to Superior Court of Justice of Ontario, Superior Court of Quebec, Court of King’s Bench of Alberta.
Online News Act
Earlier today, Bill C-18 “An Act respecting online communications platforms that make news content available to persons in Canada” received royal assent. It has a stated purpose “to enhance fairness in the Canadian digital news marketplace and contribute to its sustainability”.
CIPO Fee Increases
As posted earlier this month, amendments to the Patent, Trademark and Industrial Design regulations coming into force on January 1, 2024 will adjust most fees by 25%. The amendments were published in today’s Canada Gazette.
CIPO Fee Increases
Amendments to the Patent Rules, Trademark Regulations, Industrial Design Regulations and Copyright Regulations were registered on June 1st incorporating fee increases of about 25% as well as expanding the definition of ‘small entity’. The amendments appear to be generally inline with the versions published for consultation earlier this year. Most of the amendments come into force on January 1, 2024. Continue reading CIPO Fee Increases
Federal Court of Appeal
The Federal Court of Appeal has announced a new e-filing platform and consolidated practice direction. Taking effect June 1, 2023, the direction includes the use of electronic documents, electronic service and filing, handling of confidential documents, pronouns/pronunciations, and handling of hearings,. Continue reading Federal Court of Appeal
Appointments
Dr. Gerald Heckman, a professor at the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Law in Winnipeg, was appointed a Judge of the Federal Court of Appeal. John C. Cotter, Partner at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP in Toronto, was appointed an Associate Judge of the Federal Court. Judicial appointments were also made today to the Tax Court, Ontario courts, Alberta courts, Quebec courts and the BC courts. Continue reading Appointments
US Supreme Court
The United States Supreme Court issued several decisions yesterday that may be of interest:
- Twitter, Inc. v. Taamneh and Gonzalez v. Google LLC – social media companies are not liable for terrorist attacks by hosting accounts from terrorists: “To impose aiding-and-abetting liability for passive nonfeasance, plaintiffs must make a strong showing of assistance and scienter. Plaintiffs fail to do so.”
- Andy Warhol Foundation for Visual Arts, Inc. v. Goldsmith – copyright fair use does not cover Warhol’s use of a photograph by Goldsmith to create a silkscreen portrait of Prince -> “the purpose of the Orange Prince image is substantially the same as that of Goldsmith’s original photograph. Both are portraits of Prince used in magazines to illustrate stories about Prince.”
- Amgen Inc. v. Sanofi – patent enablement -> “Amgen’s claims sweep much broader than the 26 exemplary antibodies it identifies by their amino acid sequences. Amgen has failed to enable all that it has claimed, even allowing for a reasonable degree of experimentation
Appointments
Anne M. Turley, Senior General Counsel at the Department of Justice, was appointed a Judge of the Federal Court today. Appointments were also made to Superior Court of Justice of Ontario, Court of King’s Bench of New Brunswick and the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories. Continue reading Appointments
Federal Court
New Associate Judges (Federal Court) Regulations were registered and will published shortly in the Canada Gazette. With the renaming of Prothonotaries to Associate Judges and formalizing the role, these regulations set out the number of Associate Judges in the Federal Court and the role of supernumerary AJs. Continue reading Federal Court