One Hundred Tenth Congress of the United States of America
2d Session
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Thursday, the third day of January, two thousand and eight
S. 3295
AN ACT
To amend title 35, United States Code, and the Trademark Act of 1946 to provide that the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, shall appoint administrative patent judges and administrative trademark judges, and for other purposes.
Appointment of administrative patent judges and administrative trademark judges
Administrative patent judges
Section 6 of title 35, United States Code, is amended—
in subsection (a)—
in the second sentence, by striking
Deputy Commissioner
and inserting Deputy
Director
; and
in the last sentence, by striking
Director
and inserting Secretary of Commerce, in
consultation with the Director
; and
by adding at the end the following:
Authority of the Secretary
The Secretary of Commerce may, in his or her discretion, deem the appointment of an administrative patent judge who, before the date of the enactment of this subsection, held office pursuant to an appointment by the Director to take effect on the date on which the Director initially appointed the administrative patent judge.
Defense to challenge of appointment
It shall be a defense to a challenge to the appointment of an administrative patent judge on the basis of the judge’s having been originally appointed by the Director that the administrative patent judge so appointed was acting as a de facto officer.
.
Administrative trademark judges
Section 17 of the Act
entitled An Act to provide for the registration and protection of
trademarks used in commerce, to carry out the provisions of certain
international conventions, and for other purposes
, approved July 5,
1946 (commonly referred to as the Trademark Act of 1946
; 15
U.S.C. 1067), is amended—
in subsection (b)—
by inserting Deputy Director of the
United States Patent and Trademark Office
, after
Director,
; and
by striking appointed by the
Director
and inserting appointed by the Secretary of Commerce,
in consultation with the Director
; and
by adding at the end the following:
Authority of the Secretary
The Secretary of Commerce may, in his or her discretion, deem the appointment of an administrative trademark judge who, before the date of the enactment of this subsection, held office pursuant to an appointment by the Director to take effect on the date on which the Director initially appointed the administrative trademark judge.
Defense to challenge of appointment
It shall be a defense to a challenge to the appointment of an administrative trademark judge on the basis of the judge’s having been originally appointed by the Director that the administrative trademark judge so appointed was acting as a de facto officer.
.
Speaker of the House of Representatives
Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate