This Week in the Circuits: Federal Circuit Gets First Look at ‘Patent-Troll’ Laws

Welcome to This Week in the Circuits, a look at the most significant cases before federal appeals courts.

A case slated for argument on Monday offers the Federal Circuit its first opportunity to consider the legality of laws enacted by 34 states over the last dozen years to combat frequent litigants viewed as “patent trolls.”

Dallas-based Longhorn IP LLC and its patent-assertion unit Katana Silicon Technologies LLC are asking the appeals court to overturn a federal judge’s order requiring them to post an $8 million bond before they can advance a patent suit against Micron Technology Inc. over semiconductor technology. ...