Another piece of good news from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Morozova v. Blanche, No. 25-4067, is being considered for an upcoming oral argument calendar in Pasadena. The Ninth Circuit has advised counsel that the case is being considered for a 2027 Pasadena sitting and has requested that the parties identify any scheduling conflicts....
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On September 16, 2026, I had the opportunity to argue Fertikh v. Blanche, No. 25-7834, before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Pasadena, California. Arguing before the Ninth Circuit was a memorable professional experience. The Pasadena courthouse itself adds to the atmosphere—the beautiful historic building, with its colonial-style architecture and impressive interior, provides a striking setting for a federal appellate argument. The appeal raises important questions concerning procedural due process in immigration proceedings, including adequate notice, denial of a continuance, and whether a respondent was provided a meaningful opportunity to prepare and present his case. For me, one of...
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Intellectual property litigation has an unusual economic problem. A person may have a perfectly legitimate legal claim and still conclude that enforcing that claim makes no financial sense. This is particularly common in copyright disputes involving photographers, videographers, graphic designers, writers, musicians, and small businesses. A photographer, for example, may discover that a company copied a photograph from his website and used it commercially without permission. The photographer may clearly own the copyright, may be able to prove the unauthorized use, and may ordinarily charge several thousand dollars for a comparable commercial license. Nevertheless, if the entire dispute is realistically...
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Immigration bond hearings are highly unpredictable under the current administration. Many families believe that if a detained noncitizen has no criminal record, no convictions, and a pending immigration case, release on bond should be straightforward....
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Today, we will discuss a specific situation in which a similar trademark is already registered by another owner within the same international class. Let us address this issue directly: trademark matters are highly fact-specific....
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Artificial intelligence is changing filmmaking in ways that many people still do not fully understand. Most discussions today focus almost entirely on fear: fear of job loss, fear of automation, fear that machines will replace artists, writers, editors, actors, and entire production departments....
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In today’s entertainment industry, filmmakers frequently look for the fastest and cheapest possible title report before submitting a project to festivals, distributors, streaming platforms, or E&O insurance carriers. At first glance, low-cost “instant” title search companies appear attractive: $99 reports, same-day turnaround, automated trademark searches, and promises of “quick clearance.” For independent filmmakers working with tight budgets, this may sound practical....
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In recent months, federal habeas corpus litigation has become one of the most important tools for immigrants held in prolonged immigration detention. Across the United States, immigration detainees and their attorneys increasingly turn to federal district courts when bond hearings before immigration judges fail to provide meaningful due process protections....
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Today, we will talk about consequences of the use of cheap trademark filing services. In today’s online world, many businesses look for the fastest and cheapest way to file a trademark application. At first glance, this seems reasonable. A trademark filing may appear to be simple paperwork: fill out a form, pay a fee, and wait for approval....
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The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has notified the parties that the case of Fertikh v. Blanche is being considered for oral argument during the Pasadena sitting calendar in September 2026. Consideration for oral argument is a significant procedural development in a federal appellate case. In many immigration appeals, matters are decided solely on the written briefs. When a case is considered for oral argument, it may indicate that the Court wishes to examine the legal and factual issues in greater depth through direct questioning of counsel. Our client, Anton Fertikh, is an asylum seeker from Russia and...
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