Patents & Trademarks

Patents & Trademark searching, U.S. and International

Constitutional Basis of Patents

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) promotes the progress of science and the useful arts by securing for limited times to inventors the exclusive right to their respective discoveries per Article 1, Section 8, Clause 8 of the United States Constitution:

The Congress shall have Power . . . To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries. -- United States Constitution, Article 1, Section 8, Clause 8.

Patent & Trademark Law

Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR)
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (current).
Codification of the general and permanent rules and regulations published by executive departments and agencies in the Federal Register. Divided into 50 broad subject areas known as Titles.
Other CFR sources:
Online (UTSA subscription): ProQuest Congressional (under "Regulations" on top menu) (1938-current)
Official Government Website: govinfo.gov (1996-current) (Annual Edition)
Nexis Uni (current)
Library of Congress (1938-1999)
United States Code Annotated (USCA) (West)
Print: Offsite KF62 (Title 1-50, USCA Code Guide, General Index A-Z, USCA Tables I-II, USCA Laws) (Current volumes no longer received)
From West Publishing, unofficial compilation of general and permanent laws in force. Same arrangement as United States Code (USC) but also lists references to case law, legislative histories, administrative regulations and various secondary sources.
United States Code (USC) (govinfo.gov) (USC)
Official Government Website (editions: 1994-current).
Official version of all general and permanent federal laws in force. Public Laws are arranged under fifty “titles” or subject categories. Does not summarize legislative history but cites Statutes at Large. Older editions available.
U.S. Code Collection
From Cornell University. This site is generated from the most recent official version made available by the US House of Representatives. Patent and trademark law is codified in Title 35 of the United States Code.