Seeking to avoid a turf war between a new intellectual- property enforcement coordinator and federal agencies with IP duties, the House Judiciary Committee passed the PRO-IP Act (HR-4279) Wednesday with a manager’s amendment limiting the coordinator’s role. But a dissenting lawmaker said the bill could aid an RIAA campaign of “extortion” against people it accuses of illegally downloading music. PRO-IP goes to the full House for a vote. It was approved earlier by the IP Subcommittee after legislators stripped it of broad forfeiture provisions and language creating violations for each work on “compilations” (WID March 7 p3).
The International Trade Commission has instituted a section 337 patent-based investigation of certain composite wear components and products containing the same pursuant to a complaint.
The Supreme Court will hear the case on whether antidumping duties can be imposed on a French supplier of low-enriched uranium (LEU) during its October 2008 term.
On April 17, 2008, Representatives Manzullo and Smith introduced the "Securing Exports Through Coordination and Technology Act" (H.R. 5828), which would require the federal government to enhance the Automated Export System, allow for the licensing of AES filers, etc.
The Supreme Court’s so-called Miller test for obscenity is the target of a porn producer arraigned Monday on obscenity charges in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The filing indicted John Stagliano, widely deemed the originator of plotless “gonzo” porn, John Stagliano Inc. and his Evil Angel Productions on six charges of distributing two obscene films across state lines through online sales. Another count accuses the defendants of showing an obscene trailer for a third movie on EvilAngel.com.
The International Trade Commission has instituted a section 337 patent-based investigation of certain catheters, consoles, and other apparatus for cryosurgery and components thereof pursuant to a complaint.
The International Trade Administration has initiated or deferred administrative reviews of the following antidumping and countervailing duty orders for certain specified companies. The ITA also received a request to revoke one AD order in part (for one company).
The following Court of International Trade cases on international trade issues were dated during March 21 - April 03, 2008:
The trial into Dish Networks’ claims that NDS hired hackers to crack its conditional access system got under way with opening arguments Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. Dish, which filed suit in 2002, has accused NDS of violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and federal RICO laws in seeking to get the ROM and EEPROM codes for the conditional access cards. The codes were used in cards made for Dish by Kudelski Group’s NagraStar.
The trial into Dish Networks’ claims that NDS hired hackers to crack its conditional access system got under way with opening arguments Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. Dish, which filed suit in 2002, has accused NDS of violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and federal RICO laws in seeking to get the ROM and EEPROM codes for the conditional access cards. The codes were used in cards made for Dish by Kudelski Group’s NagraStar.