(April 14, 2017, 8:49 AM EDT) -- WASHINGTON, D.C. — The applicability of the “American Rule” in disputes over a rejection of patent claims by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) is currently before the Federal Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals (Realvirt LLC v. Michelle K. Lee, Director, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, No. 17-1159, Fed. Cir.)....