Judge Rules That Complaint Counsel Could Not Overcome Noerr-Pennington Immunity and That FTC Does Not Have Jurisdiction to Resolve Entangling Patent Issues

In an initial decision filed on November 25, 2003, and announced today, Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) D. Michael Chappell dismissed a complaint brought earlier this year by the Commission that charged Union Oil Company of California (Unocal) with committing fraud in connection with regulatory proceedings before the California Air Resources Board (CARB) regarding the development of reformulated gasoline (RFG). More...