Virginia Code 59.1-209: Contracting requirements
A. Every contract for invention development services shall be in writing and shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter. A copy of the written contract shall be given to the customer at the time he signs the contract.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 59.1-209
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Contract for invention development services: means a contract by which an invention developer undertakes invention development services for a customer. See Virginia Code 59.1-208
- Customer: means any person, firm, partnership, corporation, or other entity that enters into a contract for invention development services with an invention developer. See Virginia Code 59.1-208
- in writing: include any representation of words, letters, symbols, numbers, or figures, whether (i) printed or inscribed on a tangible medium or (ii) stored in an electronic or other medium and retrievable in a perceivable form and whether an electronic signature authorized by Chapter 42. See Virginia Code 1-257
- Invention: means a discovery, process, machine, design, formulation, product, concept or idea or any combination thereof. See Virginia Code 59.1-208
- Invention developer: means any person, firm, partnership, corporation, and any agent, employee, officer, partner or independent contractor thereof, that advertises invention development services in media of general circulation or that contracts with customers procured as a result of such advertisement. See Virginia Code 59.1-208
- Invention development: means the evaluation, perfection, marketing, brokering, or promotion of an invention by an invention developer, including a patent search, preparation of a patent application, or any other act done by an invention developer for consideration toward the end of procuring or attempting to procure a license, buyer or patent for an invention, but shall not include those acts undertaken by attorneys in the practice of their profession, other persons duly registered to practice before the U. See Virginia Code 59.1-208
- State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-245
B. If it is the invention developer‘s normal practice to seek more than one contract in connection with an invention, or if the invention developer normally seeks to perform services in connection with an invention in more than one phase with the performance of each phase covered in one or more subsequent contracts, at the time the customer signs the first contract, the invention developer shall so state in writing and shall supply to the customer such writing together with a written summary of the developer’s normal terms, if any, of such subsequent contracts, including the amount of the developer’s normal fees or other consideration, if any, that may be required from the customer.
C. Notwithstanding any contractual provision to the contrary, no payment for invention development services shall be required, made or received until the expiration of a four-working-day period commencing on the date on which the customer receives a copy of the contract for invention development services signed by the invention developer. Delivery of a promissory note, check, bill of exchange or negotiable instrument of any kind to the invention developer or to a third party, irrespective of the date or dates appearing on such instrument, shall be deemed payment for the purpose of this section.
D. Until the payment specified in this section is made, the parties shall have the option to terminate the contract, which option may be exercised as follows: (i) the customer may exercise the option by refraining from making payment to the invention developer, (ii) the invention developer may exercise the option to terminate by giving to the customer a written notice of its exercise of the option, which written notice shall become effective upon receipt thereof by the customer.
1977, c. 649.