35 USC 293 – Nonresident patentee; service and notice
Every patentee not residing in the United States may file in the Patent and Trademark Office a written designation stating the name and address of a person residing within the United States on whom may be served process or notice of proceedings affecting the patent or rights thereunder. If the person designated cannot be found at the address given in the last designation, or if no person has been designated, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia shall have jurisdiction and summons shall be served by publication or otherwise as the court directs. The court shall have the same jurisdiction to take any action respecting the patent or rights thereunder that it would have if the patentee were personally within the jurisdiction of the court.
Terms Used In 35 USC 293
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- patentee: includes not only the patentee to whom the patent was issued but also the successors in title to the patentee. See 35 USC 100
- process: means process, art or method, and includes a new use of a known process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, or material. See 35 USC 100
- Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.