Source: https://intellectualip.com/category/trade-secrets/
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 20:52:32+00:00

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Where Are the Patent Crimes?
IP-related crimes are well known for non-patent offenses, e.g., theft of trade secrets, 18 U.S.C. § 1832; criminal copyright infringement, 17 U.S.C. § 506; and trademark counterfeiting, 18 U.S.C. § 2320. Patent crimes are virtually unknown, with the exception of the false marking statute, discussed at length elsewhere, here, and there.
A lesser-known patent-forgery statute targets anyone who “falsely makes, forges, counterfeits, or alters any letters patent granted or purporting to have been granted by the President of the United States.” 18 U.S.C. § 497. That crime would probably not be very successful. Furthermore, that statute’s constitutionality may be in question after the Supreme Court decides the Alvarez case this term.
There are more general federal crimes that may arise in a patent context, though. Lying to the PTO would violate 18 U.S.C. § 1001; a literal reading of that statute would criminalize some forms of inequitable conduct. Using a patent procured by inequitable conduct to obtain a government contract would probably violate the False Claims Act.
§ 10.88 Threatening criminal prosecution.
A practitioner shall not present, participate in presenting, or threaten to present criminal charges solely to obtain an advantage in any prospective or pending proceeding before the Office.
Comments Off on Where Are the Patent Crimes?
A forthcoming paper in the Stanford Law Review from Judge Posner and Professor Yoon is titled “What Judges Think About the Quality of Legal Representation.” The good news? “In civil cases, judges gave their highest ratings to lawyers handling commercial litigation and intellectual property.” What’s more, when it comes to IP litigators, Judges found very little disparity in the quality of representation between opposing counsel. IP litigation is not only a high-quality fight, but an evenly matched one.

References: § 1832
 § 506
 § 2320
 § 497
 § 1001

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