Major Changes in Patent Law

Patent laws in the United States recently received a major overhaul with significant changes for inventors.  One of the most important changes is from a “first to invent” system, where the first person to actually invent is granted a patent, to a “first inventor to file” system where the first filing date wins, regardless of…

Voting Rights and The Constitution

November 6, 2012, marks Election Day in the United States. Many Americans do not realize that there is no Constitutionally protected right to vote. While there are amendments to the U.S. Constitution that prohibit discrimination based on race (15th), sex (19th) and age (26th), no affirmative right to vote exists. Though the Constitution requires that…

Do I Need an Estate Plan?

Some people hear the term, “estate planning,” and believe it does not apply to them because they only have modest assets, if any. In the legal sense, however, an estate planning consultation will include planning for not only the distribution of assets, but also the healthcare, mental healthcare, and the future well being of the…

How Do I Get a Patent on My Invention?

Apple has recently been in the news with a billion-dollar jury verdict based on patent infringement.  Further Apple and other companies make millions and billions of dollars on products that are protected by patents.  There are several types of patents in the United States, utility patents, plant patents, and design patents. The recent Apple lawsuit…