Volume 16 celebrates George Hutchinson, an extremely important
person to this Journal, the Federal Circuit Historical Society, and the Federal
Circuit itself. There are also two articles adapted from 2022 Society lectures, one by Professor Jonathan P. Kastellec and the other by Reverend Griffin Lotson, seventh-generation Gullah Geechee.

This volume includes tributes to Donald R. Dunner and a biography of The Honorable Jean Galloway Bissell. There is also a brief history of NORAD and Cheyenne Mountain, an examination by Judge Wallach of the law of war in the 21st century, and a closer look at early patent decisions of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

George Hutchinson has spent his long and continuing professional life in support of the judicial system, the judges and lawyers who make it work, and the public that it serves. 

Judge Oscar Hersh Davis (1914-1988) of the U.S. Court of Claims and the Federal Circuit was known for his intellect and love of the law. Former law clerk Lynn Eccleston provides insights into the views and legal style that guided his decisions and opinions, as well as a revealing glimpse into philosophical differences among the judges that shaped the dynamic early life of the Federal Circuit.  

In this issue the Society’s body of historical writings is enlarged by providing articles on and by the late Judge Edward S. Smith; the creation of the Federal Circuit and the history of the Merit Systems Protection Board whose decisions the Court reviews. Also included in this issue are articles on the Court’s Lafayette Square environs and historical figures and events which mark this significant location.

The first issue is devoted to the memory of the life, roles, and accomplishments of the first Chief Judge of the Court Howard T. Markey (1920-2006). Professor Sherman Cohn of Georgetown University profiles Chief Judge Markey in a thoughtful biography. Known for his humor and words of substance, Judge Markey's wit and wisdom are captured in articles and remembrances.

Volume 15 includes articles on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the operations of the Court, tensions between first and fourth amendment protests and the policing of both, women and gender in STEM, as well as articles about Judge Marion T. Bennett and Judge Oscar H. Davis.

Combining oral history and interviews with those who knew him well, this volume opens with a biography of Judge Mayer from his childhood in upstate New York through his military career and service on the Federal Circuit, including during 9/11. 

The patent jurisdiction of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit provides a rich variety of historical facets—from the purpose of the patent system, the evolution of statutory patent law and its judicial interpretation, and the tribunals which have addressed those matters, to the arc of technology and innovation and its impact on the history of our nation.

Judge Glenn L. Archer, Jr. (1929-2011) was the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Tax Division of the Department of Justice in 1984 when he was nominated by President Reagan to be a Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. He was the court's Chief Judge from 1994 to 1997. Judge Archer is remembered in a biographical article by former law clerk Timothy R. Holbrook, currently Associate Dean of Faculty and Professor of Law, Emory University School of Law.

The Society celebrates the life and contributions of Judge Giles S. Rich on the tenth anniversary of his passing.  One of the nation's most enduring and accomplished jurist, Judge Rich rendered unparalleled service to the development of the U.S. patent law both during his private practice career and in his work on the U.S. Court of Customs and Patent Appeals ("CCPA") and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. 

This volume includes tributes to Herbert Mintz and Ray Givens's lecture on the Coeur d'Alene people's fight for Lake Coeur d'Alene. There is also a history of vaccines, vaccine law, and COVID-19, an examination by Frederic Kellogg of Oliver Wendell Holmes and legal logic, and Professor Carlson's examination of Tesla, Marconi, and the invention of radio.

The Wright brothers and their flying machines initiated the modern era of aviation. Dr. Tom Crouch tells the story of this, one of the world's most famous inventions, and the accompanying patent battles. 

Helen W. Nies (1925-1996) was appointed by President Carter to the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals in 1980, the first woman ever to sit on that court. In 1990, she became the first female Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.  Most importantly, she left a legacy of judicial opinions that proved to be significant precedent for the court and the bar.

This volume includes remembrances of the late Judge Daniel Friedman; the early history of the U.S. Patent office told through a biography of William Thornton, the first Commissioner of Patents and architect of the Capitol Building; the Air Traffic Controller’s Strike in 1981 which led to litigation in the Federal Circuit; Judge Leo M. Gordon's personal reflections on the U.S. Court of International Trade; and an 1891 address on the birth of the patent system.

This volume includes articles about Lafayette Square and of the individuals who have contributed to its history, particularly Chief Judge Marvin Jones and Wilson Cowen of the United States Court of Claims, and Benjamin Ogle Tayloe whose house on Madison Place is part of the National Courts Building Complex.  Separate articles discuss the Trade Jurisdiction of the Federal Circuit and the Article III Status of the Court.