The Supreme Court or Congress: Which Will Decide Whether Large Emitters of Greenhouse Gasses May be Held Liable for the Effects of Global Warming?

Posted on June 11, 2010 by Sheppard Mullin

By Robyn Christo and Scott Vignos

As climate change litigation proceeds throughout the country, three cases, Comer v. Murphy Oil, Connecticut v. American Electric Power and Native Village of Kivalina v. ExxonMobil, provide indications of the Supreme Court's potential role in shaping the legal landscape of climate change. The Fifth Circuit's May 28, 2010 order dismissing the en banc appeal in Comer has provided renewed interest in this issue. 
 

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US Patent Office Expands Green Technology Accelerated Examination Program - More categories of invention are now eligible for expedited processing

Posted on June 1, 2010 by Sheppard Mullin

By Daniel Yannuzzi

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has expanded its Green Technology Pilot Program to allow more categories of technology to be eligible for expedited examination.   Under the Green Technology Pilot Program, applications pertaining to environmental quality, energy conservation, development of renewable energy, or greenhouse gas emission reduction, will be considered without meeting all of the usual requirements of the accelerated examination program (e.g., examination support document). Applications accorded special status will be placed on the examiner’s special docket and advanced out of turn prior to the first Office action, and will have special status in any appeal to the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences and also in the patent publication process.  Applications having special status under this program, however, will be placed on the examiner’s amended docket, after the first Office action.
 

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