Patent at Legal Glossary
What is it? A legal monopoly, granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO), for the use, manufacture and sale of an invention. Patents on useful devices, called utility patents, last for 20 years from the date the patent application was filed. Design patents last for 14 years from the date issued. And plant patents last for 17 years from the date issued.Law Definition Added By: Sebastian
The Patent definition has been viewed 443 Time(s)!
Send To Friends!
If you'd like to send the Patent definition to yourself or to your friends/colleagues, just enter the e-mail addresses in the boxes below -We hope you now understand the meaning of Patent. If you need any more information on this term, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Other Similar Legal Terms:
Law Terms census is An official count of the number of people living in a certain area, such as a district, city, county, state, or nation. The United States Constitution requires the federal government to perform a national census every ten years. The census includes information about the respondents sex, age, family, and social and economic status.Law Terms dividend is A portion of profits distributed by a corporation to its shareholders based on the type of stock and number of shares owned. Dividends are usually paid in cash, though they may also be paid in the form of additional shares of stock or other property. The amount of a dividend is established by the corporations board of directors; however, state laws often restrict a corporations ability to declare dividends by requiring a minimum level of profits or assets before the dividend can be approved.
Law Terms contingency fee is A method of paying a lawyer for legal representation by which, instead of an hourly or per job fee, the lawyer receives a percentage of the money her client obtains after settling or winning the case. Often contingency fee agreements -- which are most commonly used in personal injury cases -- award the successful lawyer between 20% and 50% of the amount recovered. Lawyers representing defendants charged with crimes may not charge contingency fees. In most states, contingency fee agreements must be in writing.
Law Terms right to cancel (a contract) is See cooling-off rules.
Law Terms paternity suit is A lawsuit to determine the identity of the father of a child born outside of marriage, and to provide for the support of the child once the identity of the father has been determined.