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Simple English definitions for legal terms

first-to-file system

Read a random definition: third-party practice

A quick definition of first-to-file system:

A first-to-file system is a way of deciding who gets a patent for an invention. It means that the first person to file a patent application gets priority over anyone else who files later. Most countries use this system, except for the United States which uses a first-to-invent system instead.

A more thorough explanation:

A first-to-file system is a practice in patent law where the first person to file a patent application is granted priority over others who may have invented the same thing but filed later.

For example, if two inventors come up with the same idea, the one who files the patent application first will be granted the patent, even if the other inventor came up with the idea first.

Most countries in the world use a first-to-file patent system, except for the United States, which uses a first-to-invent system. In the first-to-invent system, the person who can prove that they came up with the idea first is granted the patent, even if they filed the application later than someone else.

One example of the first-to-file system in action is in China, where the number of patent applications has skyrocketed in recent years. This is because the first-to-file system incentivizes inventors to file their applications as soon as possible to secure their rights to the invention.

first-to-file rule | first-to-invent system

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Congrats1!
21:15
Miami A, yall I'm so excited I could cry.
21:15
Feel like I can finally stop holding my breath!! Whew!!!
[] baddestbunny
22:16
every time I get accosted by a strange man who follows me around because my male coworkers were too busy talking to walk me back to my car I get closer to saying we need to bring back traditional gender roles
Dkk
22:32
Nice! @Macaque
Dkk
22:32
@Aromatic, Have to guess.
Dkk
22:33
That sucks @Bunny do you have to go to the hospital?
[] baddestbunny
22:40
I said accosted not assaulted
23:35
guys. my notre dame address just went long is this good or bad
1a2b3c4d26z
23:37
Oooooo me too
23:37
omg is this good or bad
Dkk
23:47
Idk if gender roles are gunna fix that then.
23:49
it looks like most people who applied in october last cycle didn't get a decision until january... does it even mean anything that our addresses went long??
hows ED 2 compared to ED 1?
Dkk
0:10
No idea
windyMagician
0:34
reporting live to say my ndls address also went long
does it mean anything ^
Dkk
2:21
NDLS and Fordham took a very long time last year. It's good info for people to know.
[] baddestbunny
4:29
let’s get after it boys and girls
Dkk
5:21
I gtg to bed soon.
Dkk
5:22
Big day today. Gunna be a crazy one. I will sleep through the first half.
good morning lsd it is 5 am EST
also jazzy my ndls address went long ages ago i sadly do not think it means anything
my stanford address also went long LOL i think at most it's an indicator it's under review
WorthlessAttractiveZombie
7:44
My berkeley paragraph finally disappeared. I definitely think it is just an indicator that they are actively reviewing files, and does not mean anything about A, WL, or Rs
WorthlessAttractiveZombie
7:46
Also has anyone's date disappeared for W&L? Mine did last night
7:55
@WorthlessAttractiveZombie: mine did yesterday morning
7:56
Oops sorry I meant Vilanova. Mine disappeared last week
soapy
8:48
UMN under review! As predicted, decisions are gonna come out early December
Minus those random R decisions from UMN yesterday though right? I wonder what happened there. I don’t think I’ve seen a school start the season out with anything but As on here
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