The post-World War One Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia was vastly different than the federal circuit court we know today. In its 1918-19 term, half of its cases involved local disputes and the remainder were almost entirely patent and trademark appeals. The patent cases concerned such things as paper drinking cups, drill bits for digging oil wells, an improvement relating to engine starters, and a device for launching torpedoes. Among the trademark cases were lawsuits to protect the trademarks of Aunt Jemima and BVDs!
