Today, March 20, 2013, in Abbott Labs. v. Cordis Corp., No. 2012-1244, the Federal Circuit held that a district court cannot issue subpoenas in conjunction with a pre-AIA inter partes reexamination proceeding because an inter partes reexamination proceeding does not constitute a “contested case” under 35 U.S.C. § 24 where the PTO has not authorized the parties to take depositions.