Two tech-savvy federal judges are sending different messages on the standard for permanent injunctions in patent cases. While Judge Lucy Koh denied Apple's request for a ban on Samsung sales in Decemer, on Thursday Magistrate Judge Paul Grewal entered a permanent injunction sought by Brocade against rival A10 Networks.

Four law firms that submitted a "grossly inflated" $2.7 million fee request after winning $12,500 for their client should go away empty-handed, a judge has ruled. U.S. District Court Joanna Seybert condemned the fee application submitted by real estate investor Robert Toussie's attorneys, including $2.65 million for Chadbourne & Parke, as "outrageously excessive" and done in "bad faith."

The worst fears of campaign finance reformers played out in real time on Tuesday in the U.S. Supreme Court as a majority of justices appeared inclined to further erode the regulation of money in elections.

Class action litigation is beginning to take shape over allegations that major banks manipulated Libor, the benchmark rate used to calculate interest on trillions of dollars in securities globally. On Monday the federal district court judge hearing the litigation consolidated 20 class complaints, and appointed interim class counsel.