(a)        A contract for invention development services must have a conspicuous and legible cover sheet attached.? The cover sheet must set forth:

(1)        The name, home address, office address, and local address of the invention developer; and

(2)        The following notice printed in bold-faced type of not less than 10-point size:

                  THIS CONTRACT BETWEEN YOU AND AN INVENTION DEVELOPER IS REGULATED BY ARTICLE 29 OF CHAPTER 66 OF THE GENERAL STATUTES OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA.? YOU ARE NOT PERMITTED OR REQUIRED TO MAKE ANY PAYMENTS UNDER THIS CONTRACT UNTIL FOUR WORKING DAYS AFTER YOU SIGN THIS CONTRACT AND RECEIVE A COMPLETED COPY OF IT.

                  YOU CAN TERMINATE THIS CONTRACT AT ANY TIME BEFORE YOU MAKE PAYMENT.? YOU CAN TERMINATE THIS CONTRACT SIMPLY BY NOT SUBMITTING PAYMENT.

                  IF YOU ASSIGN EVEN A PARTIAL INTEREST IN THE INVENTION TO THE INVENTION DEVELOPER, THE INVENTION DEVELOPER MAY HAVE THE RIGHT TO SELL OR DISPOSE OF THE INVENTION WITHOUT YOUR CONSENT AND MAY NOT HAVE TO SHARE THE PROFITS WITH YOU.

                  THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE CONTRACTED WITH THE INVENTION DEVELOPER SINCE ___(year)_____? IS _(number)___.? THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS KNOWN BY THIS INVENTION DEVELOPER TO HAVE RECEIVED BY VIRTUE OF THIS INVENTION DEVELOPER’S PERFORMANCE, AN AMOUNT OF MONEY IN EXCESS OF THE AMOUNT PAID BY THE CUSTOMER TO THIS INVENTION DEVELOPER IS __(number)_____.

                  YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONSULT WITH A QUALIFIED ATTORNEY BEFORE SIGNING THIS CONTRACT.? BY PROCEEDING WITHOUT THE ADVICE OF A QUALIFIED ATTORNEY YOU COULD LOSE ANY RIGHTS YOU MIGHT HAVE IN YOUR IDEA OR INVENTION.

(b)        The invention developer shall complete the cover sheet with the proper information to be provided in the blanks.? In the first blank the invention developer shall enter the year that the invention developer began business, or January 1, 1990, whichever is earlier.? The numbers entered in the last two blanks need not include those who have contracted with the invention developer during the 30 days immediately preceding the date of the contract.? If the number to be inserted in the third blank is zero, it must be so stated.

(c)        The cover notice may not contain anything in addition to the information required by subsection (a) of this section. (1989, c. 746, s. 1; c. 770, s. 62.1(1)-(3); 1991, c. 235, s. 1.)

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Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes 66-211

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Customer: means any natural person who is solicited by, inquires about, seeks the services of, or enters into a contract with an invention developer for invention development services. See North Carolina General Statutes 66-209
  • following: when used by way of reference to any section of a statute, shall be construed to mean the section next preceding or next following that in which such reference is made; unless when some other section is expressly designated in such reference. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
  • Invention: means any discovery, process, machine, design, formulation, composition of matter, product, concept, or idea, or any combination of these. See North Carolina General Statutes 66-209
  • Invention developer: is a n individual, firm, partnership, or corporation, or an agent, employee, officer, partner, or independent contractor of one of those entities, that offers to perform or performs invention development services for a customer and that is not: