35 USC § 373 - Improper applicant
An international application designating the United States, shall not be accepted by the Patent and Trademark Office for the national stage if it was filed by anyone not qualified under chapter
11 of this title to be an applicant for the purpose of filing a national application in the United States. Such international applications shall not serve as the basis for the benefit of an earlier filing date under section
120 of this title in a subsequently filed application, but may serve as the basis for a claim of the right of priority under subsections (a) through (d) ofsection
119 of this title, if the United States was not the sole country designated in such international application.
An international application designating the United States, shall not be accepted by the Patent and Trademark Office for the national stage if it was filed by anyone not qualified under chapter
11 of this title to be an applicant for the purpose of filing a national application in the United States. Such international applications shall not serve as the basis for the benefit of an earlier filing date under section
120 of this title in a subsequently filed application, but may serve as the basis for a claim of the right of priority under subsections (a) through (d) ofsection
119 of this title, if the United States was not the sole country designated in such international application.
Source
(Added Pub. L. 94–131, § 1,Nov. 14, 1975, 89 Stat. 689; amended Pub. L. 98–622, title IV, § 403(a),Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3392; Pub. L. 103–465, title V, § 532(c)(5),Dec. 8, 1994, 108 Stat. 4987.)
Amendments
1984—Pub. L. 98–622substituted “Patent and Trademark Office” for “Patent Office”.
Effective Date of 1994 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 103–465effective 6 months after Dec. 8, 1994, and applicable to all patent applications filed in the United States on or after that effective date, with provisions relating to earliest filed patent application, see section 534(b)(1), (3) ofPub. L. 103–465, set out as a note under section
154 of this title.
Effective Date of 1984 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 98–622effective Nov. 8, 1984, see section 406(a) ofPub. L. 98–622, set out as a note under section
351 of this title.
The table below lists the classification updates, since Jan. 7, 2011, for this section. Updates to a broader range of sections may be found at the update page for containing chapter, title, etc.
The most recent Classification Table update that we have noticed was Friday, April 6, 2012
An empty table indicates that we see no relevant changes listed in the classification tables. If you suspect that our system may be missing something, please double-check with the Office of the Law Revision Counsel.
| 35 USC | Description of Change | Session Year | Public Law | Statutes at Large |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| § 373 | 2011 | 112-29 [Sec.] 20(j) | 125 Stat. 335 |



