SAN FRANCISCO — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has declined to reconsider a dispute that the losing party said was tainted by former Chief Judge Randall Rader’s friendship with Weil, Gotshal & Manges partner Edward Reines.

The court declined to rehear en banc a dispute between Microsoft Corp., SAP AG and patent assertion entity DataTern Inc., putting to rest one of the side controversies surrounding Rader’s departure from the court. No judges dissented.