35-U.S.C.-261
§261 – Ownership; Assignment
Pathway
Title 35 > Part III > Chapter 26 > Section 261
Details
- Reference: Section 261
- Legend: §261 – Ownership; Assignment
- USCode Year: 2013
Provision Content
Subject to the provisions of this title, patents shall have the attributes of personal property. The Patent and Trademark Office shall maintain a register of interests in patents and applications for patents and shall record any document related thereto upon request, and may require a fee therefor.
Applications for patent, patents, or any interest therein, shall be assignable in law by an instrument in writing. The applicant, patentee, or his assigns or legal representatives may in like manner grant and convey an exclusive right under his application for patent, or patents, to the whole or any specified part of the United States.
A certificate of acknowledgment under the hand and official seal of a person authorized to administer oaths within the United States, or, in a foreign country, of a diplomatic or consular officer of the United States or an officer authorized to administer oaths whose authority is proved by a certificate of a diplomatic or consular officer of the United States, or apostille of an official designated by a foreign country which, by treaty or convention, accords like effect to apostilles of designated officials in the United States, shall be prima facie evidence of the execution of an assignment, grant or conveyance of a patent or application for patent.
An interest that constitutes an assignment, grant or conveyance shall be void as against any subsequent purchaser or mortgagee for a valuable consideration, without notice, unless it is recorded in the Patent and Trademark Office within three months from its date or prior to the date of such subsequent purchase or mortgage.
(July 19, 1952, ch. 950, 66 Stat. 810; Pub. L. 93–596, §1, Jan. 2, 1975, 88 Stat. 1949; Pub. L. 97–247, §14(b), Aug. 27, 1982, 96 Stat. 321; Pub. L. 112–211, title II, §201(d), Dec. 18, 2012, 126 Stat. 1535.)
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on Title 35, U.S.C., 1946 ed., §47 (R.S. 4898, amended (1) Mar. 3, 1897, ch. 391, §5, 29 Stat. 93, (2) Feb. 18, 1922, ch. 58, §6, 42 Stat. 391, (3) Aug. 18, 1941, ch. 370, 55 Stat. 634).
The first paragraph is new but is declaratory only. The second paragraph is the same as in the corresponding section of existing statute. The third paragraph is from the existing statute, a specific reference to another statute is omitted. The fourth paragraph is the same as the existing statute but language has been changed.
Amendments
2012—Pub. L. 112–211 inserted The Patent and Trademark Office shall maintain a register of interests in patents and applications for patents and shall record any document related thereto upon request, and may require a fee therefor. at end of first par. and substituted An interest that constitutes an assignment for An assignment in fourth par.
1982—Pub. L. 97–247 inserted , or apostille of an official designated by a foreign country which, by treaty or convention, accords like effect to apostilles of designated officials in the United States.
1975—Pub. L. 93–596 substituted Patent and Trademark Office for Patent Office.
Effective Date of 2012 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 112–211 effective on the date that is 1 year after Dec. 18, 2012, applicable to patents issued before, on, or after that effective date and patent applications pending on or filed after that effective date, and not effective with respect to patents in litigation commenced before that effective date, see section 203 of Pub. L. 112–211, set out as an Effective Date note under section 27 of this title.
Effective Date of 1982 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 97–247 effective Aug. 27, 1982, see section 17(a) of Pub. L. 97–247, set out as a note under section 41 of this title.
Effective Date of 1975 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 93–596 effective Jan. 2, 1975, see section 4 of Pub. L. 93–596, set out as a note under section 1111 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade.
U.S. Encyclopedia of Law Coverage
35-U.S.C.-212 in the Legal Encyclopedia: Patents
In this entry about 35-U.S.C.-212, 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.-257 in the Legal Encyclopedia: Rights
In this entry about 35-U.S.C.-257, find legal reference material, bibliographies and premiere content related to rights in the American Encyclopedia of Law, presenting a comprehensive view of the United States rights-specific issues, written by authorities in the field.
35-U.S.C.-251 in the Legal Encyclopedia: Protection
In this entry about 35-U.S.C.-251, find legal reference material, bibliographies and premiere content related to protection in the American Encyclopedia of Law, presenting a comprehensive view of the United States protection-specific issues, written by authorities in the field.
Title 35 – Patents in the Legal Encyclopedia: Patent Rights
In this entry about Title 35 – Patents, find legal reference material, bibliographies and premiere content related to patent rights in the American Encyclopedia of Law, presenting a comprehensive view of the United States patent rights-specific issues, written by authorities in the field.
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