[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 37, Volume 1]
[Revised as of July 1, 1999]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 37CFR3.73]

[Page 183-184]
 
             TITLE 37--PATENTS, TRADEMARKS, AND COPYRIGHTS
 
    CHAPTER I--PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
 
PART 3--ASSIGNMENT, RECORDING AND RIGHTS OF ASSIGNEE--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 3.73  Establishing right of assignee to take action.

    (a) The inventor is presumed to be the owner of a patent 
application, and

[[Page 184]]

any patent that may issue therefrom, unless there is an assignment. The 
original applicant is presumed to be the owner of a trademark 
application unless there is an assignment.
    (b) When an assignee seeks to take action in a matter before the 
Office with respect to a patent application, trademark application, 
patent, registration, or reexamination proceeding, the assignee must 
establish its ownership of the property to the satisfaction of the 
Commissioner. Ownership is established by submitting to the Office, in 
the Office file related to the matter in which action is sought to be 
taken, documentary evidence of a chain of title from the original owner 
to the assignee (e.g., copy of an executed assignment submitted for 
recording) or by specifying (e.g., reel and frame number) where such 
evidence is recorded in the Office. The submission establishing 
ownership must be signed by a party authorized to act on behalf of the 
assignee. Documents submitted to establish ownership may be required to 
be recorded as a condition to permitting the assignee to take action in 
a matter pending before the Office.

[57 FR 29642, July 6, 1992, as amended at 62 FR 53203, Oct. 10, 1997]

                          Issuance to Assignee