35-U.S.C.-203
§203 – March-In Rights
Pathway
Title 35 > Part II > Chapter 18 > Section 203
Details
- Reference: Section 203
- Legend: §203 – March-In Rights
- USCode Year: 2013
Provision Content
(a) With respect to any subject invention in which a small business firm or nonprofit organization has acquired title under this chapter, the Federal agency under whose funding agreement the subject invention was made shall have the right, in accordance with such procedures as are provided in regulations promulgated hereunder to require the contractor, an assignee or exclusive licensee of a subject invention to grant a nonexclusive, partially exclusive, or exclusive license in any field of use to a responsible applicant or applicants, upon terms that are reasonable under the circumstances, and if the contractor, assignee, or exclusive licensee refuses such request, to grant such a license itself, if the Federal agency determines that such—
(1) action is necessary because the contractor or assignee has not taken, or is not expected to take within a reasonable time, effective steps to achieve practical application of the subject invention in such field of use;
(2) action is necessary to alleviate health or safety needs which are not reasonably satisfied by the contractor, assignee, or their licensees;
(3) action is necessary to meet requirements for public use specified by Federal regulations and such requirements are not reasonably satisfied by the contractor, assignee, or licensees; or
(4) action is necessary because the agreement required by section 204 has not been obtained or waived or because a licensee of the exclusive right to use or sell any subject invention in the United States is in breach of its agreement obtained pursuant to section 204.
(b) A determination pursuant to this section or section 202(b)(4) shall not be subject to chapter 71 of title 41. An administrative appeals procedure shall be established by regulations promulgated in accordance with section 206. Additionally, any contractor, inventor, assignee, or exclusive licensee adversely affected by a determination under this section may, at any time within sixty days after the determination is issued, file a petition in the United States Court of Federal Claims, which shall have jurisdiction to determine the appeal on the record and to affirm, reverse, remand or modify, as appropriate, the determination of the Federal agency. In cases described in paragraphs (1) and (3) of subsection (a), the agencys determination shall be held in abeyance pending the exhaustion of appeals or petitions filed under the preceding sentence.
(Added Pub. L. 96–517, §6(a), Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 3022; amended Pub. L. 98–620, title V, §501(9), Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3367; Pub. L. 102–572, title IX, §902(b)(1), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4516; Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title III, §13206(a)(14), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1905; Pub. L. 111–350, §5(i)(2), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3850.)
References in Text
Section 202(b)(4), referred to in subsec. (b), was redesignated section 202(b)(3) of this title by Pub. L. 111–8, div. G, title I, §1301(h), Mar. 11, 2009, 123 Stat. 829.
Amendments
2011—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 111–350 substituted chapter 71 of title 41 for the Contract Disputes Act (41 U.S.C. §601 et seq.).
2002—Pub. L. 107–273 redesignated par. (1) as subsec. (a) and former subpars. (a) to (d) as pars. (1) to (4), respectively, redesignated former par. (2) as subsec. (b), struck out quotation marks and comma before as appropriate, and substituted paragraphs (1) and (3) of subsection (a) for paragraphs (a) and (c).
1992—Par. (2). Pub. L. 102–572 substituted United States Court of Federal Claims for United States Claims Court.
1984—Pub. L. 98–620 designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).
Effective Date of 1992 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 102–572 effective Oct. 29, 1992, see section 911 of Pub. L. 102–572, set out as a note under section 171 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.
U.S. Encyclopedia of Law Coverage
35-U.S.C.-171 in the Legal Encyclopedia: Patents
In this entry about 35-U.S.C.-171, find legal reference material, bibliographies and premiere content related to patents in the American Encyclopedia of Law, presenting a comprehensive view of the United States patents-specific issues, written by authorities in the field.
35-U.S.C.-185 in the Legal Encyclopedia: Inventions
In this entry about 35-U.S.C.-185, find legal reference material, bibliographies and premiere content related to inventions in the American Encyclopedia of Law, presenting a comprehensive view of the United States inventions-specific issues, written by authorities in the field.
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