§ 262. — Joint owners.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 35USC262]
TITLE 35--PATENTS
PART III--PATENTS AND PROTECTION OF PATENT RIGHTS
CHAPTER 26--OWNERSHIP AND ASSIGNMENT
Sec. 262. Joint owners
In the absence of any agreement to the contrary, each of the joint
owners of a patent may make, use, offer to sell, or sell the patented
invention within the United States, or import the patented invention
into the United States, without the consent of and without accounting to
the other owners.
(July 19, 1952, ch. 950, 66 Stat. 810; Pub. L. 103-465, title V,
Sec. 533(b)(3), Dec. 8, 1994, 108 Stat. 4989.)
Historical and Revision Notes
This section states a condition in existing law not expressed in the
existing statutes.
Amendments
1994--Pub. L. 103-465 substituted ``use, offer to sell, or sell''
for ``use or sell'' and inserted ``within the United States, or import
the patented invention into the United States,'' after ``invention''.
Effective Date of 1994 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 103-465 effective on date that is one year
after date on which the WTO Agreement enters into force with respect to
the United States [Jan. 1, 1995], with provisions relating to earliest
filed patent application, see section 534(a), (b)(3) of Pub. L. 103-465,
set out as a note under section 154 of this title.
