While the Supreme Court’s last term included a number of blockbuster decisions, the majority of cases received minimal coverage. 

Anastasia Boden of the Pacific Legal Foundation explores three underreported decisions from the Supreme Court’s October 2019 term: USPTO v. Booking.com, Babb v. Wilkie, and Barr v. American Association of Political Consultants.

Learn more about Anastasia Boden:
https://pacificlegal.org/staff/anastasia-p-boden/

Follow Anastasia Boden on Twitter: @Anastasia_esq
https://twitter.com/Anastasia_esq

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As always, the Federalist Society takes no particular positions on legal or public policy issues. All opinions expressed are those of the speaker.

 

Related Links & Differing Views:

USPTO v. Booking.com

SCOTUSblog: “Opinion analysis: Court holds that ‘generic.com’ marks may be registered trademarks or service marks when consumers do not perceive them as generic”
https://www.scotusblog.com/2020/06/opinion-analysis-court-holds-that-generic-com-marks-may-be-registered-trademarks-or-service-marks-when-consumers-do-not-perceive-them-as-generic/

IP Watchdog: “The Consumer is King: High Court Sides with Booking.com, Rejects Per Se Test for Generic.Com Trademarks”
https://www.ipwatchdog.com/2020/06/30/the-consumer-is-king-high-court-sides-with-booking-com-rejecting-per-se-test-for-generic-com-trademarks/id=122960/

The National Law Review: “U.S. Supreme Court Cancels USPTO’s Reservations About Registering Booking.com Brand Name”
https://www.natlawreview.com/article/us-supreme-court-cancels-uspto-s-reservations-about-registering-bookingcom-brand

The Federalist Society: “Courthouse Steps Decision: United States Patent and Trademark Office v. Booking.com B.V.”
https://fedsoc.org/events/courthouse-steps-decision-united-states-patent-and-trademark-office-v-booking-com-b-v

Lexology: “Supreme Court Finds That ‘Generic.com’ Terms Can Be Trademarks”
https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=32ed4798-8f23-44f1-920f-547059d3c14c

Babb v. Wilkie

SCOTUSblog: “Opinion analysis: Federal employees need not show ‘but-for causation’ to establish age discrimination liability”
https://www.scotusblog.com/2020/04/opinion-analysis-federal-employees-need-not-show-but-for-causation-to-establish-age-discrimination-liability/

Forbes: “High Court Says Age Discrimination In Employment Act Offers Greater Protection To Federal Workers”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/patriciagbarnes/2020/04/06/high-court-says-age-discrimination-in-employment-act-offers-greater-protection-to-federal-workers/#318c7f14359b

Harvard Civil Rights - Civil Liberties Law Review: “Babb v. Wilkie and the Future Viability of Statutory Discrimination Claims”
https://harvardcrcl.org/babb-v-wilkie-and-the-future-viability-of-statutory-discrimination-claims/

Barr v. American Association of Political Consultants

Reason: “Part I: Barr v. AAPC and Judicial Departmentalism”
https://reason.com/2020/07/07/part-i-barr-v-aapc-and-judicial-departmentalism/

Balkinization: “Skirmishes over Non-Retroactivity Doctrine at the Supreme Court”
https://balkin.blogspot.com/2020/07/skirmishes-over-non-retroactivity.html

SCOTUSblog: “Opinion analysis: Fractured court rules in favor of political consultants in First Amendment challenge to federal robocall law but keeps robocall ban in place”
https://www.scotusblog.com/2020/07/opinion-analysis-fractured-court-rules-in-favor-of-political-consultants-in-first-amendment-challenge-to-federal-robocall-law-but-keeps-robocall-ban-in-place/

The Federalist Society: “Barr v. American Association of Political Consultants, Inc. - Post-Decision SCOTUScast”
https://fedsoc.org/commentary/podcasts/barr-v-american-association-of-political-consultants-inc-post-decision-scotuscast