Public-Use Proceeding Law and Legal Definition
In Patent law, public-use proceeding is an investigation into whether a patent is barred since the invention was publicly used or sold more than a year before the application was filed. This procedure is rarely used and is instituted upon a petition by someone protesting the application. If the petition and supporting documents make out a prima facie case, the examiner will hold a hearing and issue a final decision, which is not reviewable.
