Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 03 JUNE 2009

Supreme Court Docket Report - June 1, 2009

Mayer Brown
Mayer Brown
Contributor
Mayer Brown

Mayer Brown

Mayer Brown is a leading international law firm positioned to represent the world’s major...

View firm profile
Explore more from Mayer Brown

Under Section 101 of the Patent Act, 35 U.S.C. § 101, an “idea” is not patentable, but a “process” may be.

United StatesLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Andrew Tauber
Andrew Tauber
Author LinkedIn connections

Originally published June 1, 2009

Keywords: Supreme Court, Patent Law, Patentable Subject Matter, Bilski v. Doll, hedging risk, commodity prices, patent application,

Today the Supreme Court granted certiorari in one case of interest to the business community:

Patent Law—Patentable Subject Matter

Under Section 101 of the Patent Act, 35 U.S.C. § 101, an "idea" is not patentable, but a "process" may be.  Today, the Supreme Court granted certiorari in Bilski v. Doll, No. 08-964, to decide when a "process" is patent-eligible.

Bilski has already generated considerable interest in the business community—nearly 40 amicus briefs were filed in the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit when it considered the case en banc.  Although the patent-in-suit is narrow, the Supreme Court's resolution of the case could affect the patentability of business methods, computer software, and financial instruments.

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

Related Articles

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

Related Comparative Guides

See more popular content from

Article

Tenth Circuit Stays Nationwide Eligibility Injunction For Class Of 2022 In Wisne v. NCAA

On August 21, 2026, the Tenth Circuit granted the NCAA’s stay request in Wisne v. NCAA, temporarily restoring the NCAA’s age-based eligibility rules pending resolution of the appeal. Three weeks earlier, Judge Sweeney of the District of Colorado had issued a nationwide injunction that permitted athletes in the Class of 2022 to pursue a fifth year of eligibility.
United StatesLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney
Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney
Article

Show Your Work: California Federal Court Denies Preliminary Approval Of Data Breach Class Action Settlement

A federal court in California denied preliminary approval of a $2.3 million data breach settlement affecting over 220,000 individuals, finding seven critical deficiencies in the proposed agreement. The decision highlights the rigorous scrutiny courts apply to class action settlements, particularly regarding claims-made distribution processes, inadequate documentation of settlement value, and unexplained disparate treatment among class members.
United StatesLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Duane Morris LLP
Duane Morris LLP
Article

California Federal Court Denies TikTok’s Motion To Dismiss Children’s Privacy Claims Based On Prior Class Action Settlements

A federal court rejected TikTok's attempt to use two prior nationwide class action settlements—totaling over $93 million—to dismiss new privacy claims brought by minors alleging violations of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. The ruling hinged on whether the current plaintiffs were demonstrably members of the earlier settlement classes based solely on the pleadings, raising critical questions about the scope and enforceability of broad settlement releases in successive privacy litiga
United StatesLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Duane Morris LLP
Duane Morris LLP
Video

MR. NUMBER 1 WINS AGAIN!: Concora Credit To Pay $9.375MM To Settle TCPA Wrong Number Class Action As Another Company Bows To Greenwald (Video)

Concora Credit has agreed to pay $9.375 million to settle a TCPA class action lawsuit over wrong number robocalls, with prominent TCPA attorney Mike Greenwald securing another major victory. The settlement includes over $5 million for approximately 147,000 class members, $3 million in attorney fees, and a commitment to spend at least $1 million on TCPA compliance over three years.
United StatesLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Troutman Amin LLP
Troutman Amin LLP
Article

“LEGAL ANALYSIS SO POOR THAT IT HARDLY DESERVES THE LABEL”: Fifth Circuit COA Destroys Federal Judge For Using AI And I Cannot Believe Lawyers Are Still Using This Junk

A Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling harshly criticizes a federal district judge for relying on AI-generated content in legal orders, revealing fabricated facts and poor legal analysis. The decision raises critical questions about the use of generative AI in legal practice and whether lawyers who adopt such technology are compromising their ethical obligations of competence, confidentiality, and integrity.
United StatesLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Troutman Amin LLP
Troutman Amin LLP
Article

Florida Federal Court Holds That The TCPA’s Do-Not-Call Provisions Do Not Apply To Cell Phone Users

A federal judge in Florida has ruled that cell phone users cannot sue under the TCPA's do-not-call provisions, determining that the FCC exceeded its authority when it extended protections to wireless subscribers in 2003. The decision challenges decades of regulatory interpretation and could fundamentally reshape telecommunications privacy litigation if adopted by other courts.
United StatesLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Duane Morris LLP
Duane Morris LLP
Article

Sterling v. City Of Jackson And The Limits Of Substantive Due Process In Environmental Harm Cases

The Fifth Circuit's en banc decision in Sterling v. City of Jackson tests whether residents exposed to lead-contaminated municipal drinking water can sue under Section 1983 for substantive due process violations. In a 10-5 ruling, the court held that environmental harms caused by government mismanagement belong to tort law and the political process, not constitutional claims, creating a significant circuit split with implications for how environmental compliance failures by public officials are litigated.
United StatesLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Arnold & Porter
Arnold & Porter
Article

Trump Administration Announces New Enforcement Actions Against Employers In H-1B And PERM Fraud Probes

The Trump Administration has launched an unprecedented investigation into H-1B visa and PERM labor certification programs, with the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General issuing dozens of subpoenas and suspending employers' ability to process applications. Federal agencies are deploying new enforcement tools including whistleblower programs and criminal prosecution threats...
United StatesImmigration
Mayer Brown
Mayer Brown
Article

DOL Announces Enforcement Actions Against Employers In H-1B And PERM Fraud Probe

The Trump Administration has launched an unprecedented enforcement action suspending permanent labor certification processing for eight major employers, linking immigration sponsorship to layoff histories and recruitment practices. This development signals a fundamental shift in how the government evaluates employer access to H-1B and green card programs, with investigations already underway and subpoenas served.
United StatesEmployment and HR
Mayer Brown
Mayer Brown
Article

SEC Staff Statement On Fair Value Measurement And Disclosure Considerations For Private Assets

The SEC Staff has issued new guidance addressing fair value measurement and disclosure practices for private credit and other illiquid assets held by registered funds and business development companies. As private credit portfolios have grown nearly 60% since 2020, reaching $270 billion, regulators emphasize the critical importance of robust valuation methodologies, transparent disclosure of significant judgments, and careful application of accounting standards when market prices are unavailable.
United StatesAccounting and Audit
Mayer Brown
Mayer Brown
Article

AI Regulation In Singapore And Hong Kong: A Mid-Year Checkpoint

Singapore and Hong Kong continue to regulate artificial intelligence through existing laws and voluntary frameworks rather than comprehensive AI statutes, but the first half of 2026 has brought sharper emphasis on practical controls including agentic AI governance, assurance and testing, financial-sector oversight and cyber resilience. Both jurisdictions are building concrete expectations around risk management, transparency, human accountability and operational safeguards while avoiding horizontal AI legis
GlobalStrategy
Mayer Brown
Mayer Brown
Article

Russia/Ukraine Sanctions Update - Month Of August 2026

This monthly update tracks the latest developments in Russia/Ukraine sanctions across US, EU, and UK jurisdictions, covering new designations, general license extensions, legislative proposals, and enforcement actions. The update also examines Russia's countermeasures, including shadow fleet expansion and legal restrictions on foreign investors, while highlighting international coordination efforts by Switzerland, Canada, and New Zealand.
GlobalInternational Law
Mayer Brown
Mayer Brown
Article

DOL Announces New Enforcement Policy For Mental Health Parity Nonquantitative Treatment Limitation Requirements

The US Department of Labor has issued new guidance establishing a streamlined framework for enforcing mental health parity requirements under MHPAEA, focusing enforcement on three priority areas while maintaining nonenforcement of controversial 2024 rule provisions. This guidance aims to reduce compliance burdens on plan sponsors while ensuring participants maintain access to mental health and substance use disorder benefits comparable to medical and surgical coverage.
United StatesEmployment and HR
Mayer Brown
Mayer Brown
Article

European Union Adopts 21st Package Against Russia & Parallel Sanctions On Belarus

The European Union has adopted its 21st package of sanctions against Russia and Belarus, significantly expanding restrictions across finance, energy, crypto, and military-industrial sectors. This comprehensive package introduces 218 new designations, freezes the oil price cap, imposes stricter LNG controls, and closes loopholes while reinforcing measures to discourage third-party sanctions evasion. The sanctions also strengthen protections for EU operators and facilitate business exits from Russia.
European UnionInternational Law
Mayer Brown
Mayer Brown
Article

EU AI Act News: Digital Omnibus On AI, New Guidance On Risk Classification, GPAI, And Transparency Obligations

The European Union's Artificial Intelligence Act continues to evolve with significant regulatory updates that reshape compliance timelines and clarify key obligations. Recent developments include the Digital Omnibus on AI, which extends implementation deadlines for high-risk systems and introduces new prohibitions on harmful AI applications, alongside comprehensive guidance from the European Commission on classification criteria, transparency requirements, and general-purpose AI model obligations.
European UnionIntellectual Property
Mayer Brown
Mayer Brown