court case season 3

Al Minor & Associates, Inc. v. Martin (2008)

Martin leaves employer to start company doing the same thing, memorizes list of clients and poaches many, AMA sues, SCOTUS holds that memorized information included in Trade Secret protection

Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics (2013)

Myriad isolates gene found to cause breast cancer and files patent, SCOTUS holds that discoveries of naturally occuring phenomena not patentable, but the process used to find it can be patented

Alice Corporation PTY v. CLS Bank (2014)

Alice patent-holder of computer software that uses common business techniques but in software, CLS claims that this is public domain and not patentable, SCOTUS implements 2 step “Alice test” 1. Determine if the patent claims are subject to a judicial exception - is it an abstract idea, 2. If abstract, is there an “inventive concept”, Alice loses their patents

Matal v. Tam (2017)

Band looking for trademark registration of name involving derogatory language, PTO denies under disparagement clause and band sues, SCOTUS holds disparagement clause to be unconstitutional because PTO engaged in viewpoint discrimination

Iancu v. Brunetti (2019)

Skateboard company looks for registered trademark for name “FUCT” and PTO denies, SCOTUS holds PTO doing viewpoint discrimination

Jack Daniels v. VIP Products LLC (2023)

VIP makes dog toys that look like Jack Daniels alcohol bottles, JD sues and courts hold VIP’s toy’s infringed on JD Trademarked bottle design

Kraft Foods v. Cracker Barrel (7th cir.)

CB begins selling products in grocery stores, Kraft has grocery store products named Cracker Barrel and sues due to brand damage risk, obtains injunction against CB

Google LLC v. Oracle America Inc. (2021)

SCOTUS holds Google not in violation when using components of Oracle’s java programming language in Google’s Android OS employed in most smartphones

Ali Corporation v. US (2008)

Ali purchases apartment buildings, contracts with US HUD people as tenants, Ali uses funds from corporation for personal use and leaves apartment buildings in disrepair and uninhabitable, HUD stops paying Ali and Ali sues, HUD countersues and court finds Ali in breach, court finds Ali comingled and can pierce corporate veil to hold Ali personally responsible for debts of the corporation

Federal Communications Commission v. ATT (2011)

Word person includes companies and businesses as well as individuals. ATT sues FCC to prevent documents ATT released to the FCC from being made public under FOIA and used by competitors, argues for exception that the documents were personal privacy and ATT counts as a person, SCOTUS holds corporations do not have personal privacy rights under exemption 7(c

Marchand v. Barnhill (Del. 2019)

Held in Delaware SC, shareholders bring derivative suit against Blue Bell Creamery for breach of duty by disregarding contamination risks for ice cream, companies usually can’t be liable for problems caused by flaws in their plans in derivative suits, but since Blue Bell had NO plans court holds business mismanagement exclusion rule does not apply.

Trump v. Slaughter (2026)

Trump fires Slaughter 1st term, Biden reinstates, Trump fires again 2nd term, court overturns Humphrey’s Executor v. US (1935), holds “for-cause” removal protecting FTC are unconstitutional

Trump v. Cook

5-4 decision holds Fed Reserve should not be subject to political interference, not striking down Fed Reserve Act’s “for cause” removal provision

Free Enterprise Fund v. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (2010)

Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) establishes new board under SEC, commissioners can only be removed “for cause”, members don’t need to be gov employees, SCOTUS decides the insulation SEC provides to the new board violates separation of powers, holds that the act that protects board members from removal by the president is unconstitutional, replaces “for cause” with “at will” through serverability

Free Lucia v. SEC (2018)

SEC charges Lucia and ALJ hears case, ALJ rules against Lucia, Lucia appeals and argues ALJ not appointed constitutionally, SCOTUS holds ALJ like SLJ is considered officers of US and have nearly all tools of federal judges

SEC v. Jarkesy (2024)

SEC investigates Jarkesy, finds securities fraud, 7th amendment entitles Jarkesy to jury trial + SEC must bring action in federal court

FDA v. Brown and Williamson Tobacco (2000)

Congress creates access regulation for tobacco products, Brown sues and SCOTUS holds that FDA can regulate tobacco as congress has previously regulated it over 6 times

Loper Bright Enterprise et al v. Raimondo, Secretary of Commerce, et al., consolidated with Relentless, inc. V. Department of Commerce (2024)

Chevron overturned