- Posted September 26, 2011
- Tweet This | Share on Facebook
Obama signs patent overhaul law
![](/Content/LegalNews/images/article_db_image1.jpg)
The Daily Record Newswire
President Barack Obama signed the America Invents Act into law last week, a measure he said will benefit businesses by allowing inventions to get to market sooner and cut down on red tape and patent-related litigation.
The most significant overhaul to the patent system since 1952, the measure creates a "first to file" patent issuing system, granting patent rights for an innovation to the first party to apply for them instead of to the first inventor.
It also authorizes the Patent and Trademark Office to offer some companies a fast-track 12-month process instead of the normal three-year period.
The measure will reduce the existing backlog of nearly 700,000 patent applications and will significantly reduce wait times, Obama said in during a signing ceremony in Alexandria, Va.
The measure is also designed to reduce costly litigation.
The PTO will have broader authority to hear administrative challenges regarding patent validity, at costs significantly less expensive than going to court.
Published: Mon, Sep 26, 2011
headlines Jackson County
- JAEPC Meeting
- Safe storage law takes aim at gun violence epidemic
- Thrill of summer carnival rides holds inherent risks for riders; inspections, safety guidelines vary by state
- Michigan Appellate Assigned Counsel System (MAACS) accepting applications to join the roster; the deadline is September 13
- Ambs Call Center wins ATSI Award of Excellence
headlines National
- Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker will speak at ABA Annual Meeting
- 7 steps to successful crisis management
- Beyond Traditional Tools: Leveraging AI for efficient law practice management
- Punishing first grader for ‘Black Lives Mater’ drawing violates First Amendment, appeal argues
- 97-year-old federal appeals judge should be suspended another year for exam refusal, panel says
- How ShareFile helps firms keep pace with changes in law practice