A utility patent protects the way an article is used and works per 35 U.S.C. § 101. To obtain a utility patent, an inventor must file an application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) setting forth certain property claims to be examined.
The Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA) expanded on the Uniform Gifts to Minors Act allowing all kinds of property such as bonds, real estate, and art to be transferred to minors and was adopted by most states. UTMA allows the property to be gifted to a minor without establishing a formal trust.
Uxor is a mostly antiquated term for wife. The Latin term appears mostly as et uxor or et ux. which mean “and wife” at the end of a case name or other legal document. For example, in the case Smith et uxor v. State, et uxor shows the wife’s interests are being represented with the husband. In most districts, the phrase is no longer used and the wife’s name would be listed. In some areas, the phrase can mean a spouse of any gender.
Vacant is a term used to describe both (1) empty, unclaimed, and/or unoccupied real property and (2) an abandoned estate, which refers to an estate that has no heirs or claimants. It is often used in property law.
Vacant succession refers to when no heirs to an estate can be found or those that are known predeceased the testator or rescinded their inheritance.
In civil and criminal legal proceedings, vacate means to set aside or annul a previous judgment or order.
Valuable papers refers to documents and records that are of significant importance to a person and are taken care of as such. Valuable papers, under estates and trusts law, are valuable because they detail a decedent's final wishes, ensure those plans are followed through, and their assets are distributed accordingly.
A variance is an officially granted exception to a zoning ordinance. Such exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis for some persuasive reason shown. See: real property
A variance is also the difference between two statements or other pieces of evidence that usually would be expected to indicate the same thing.
A vendee is a person who purchases something being sold, or a buyer. Most commonly, a buyer of real property is often referred to as a vendee. A vendee can also refer to the buyer in all other transactions. For example, a buyer of a house and a buyer of a trademark are both vendees.
