35 U.S.C. § 205
Section 205 · Confidentiality
This is § 6 of the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980
Amended 1 time on record
Applied in 1 court decisions — leading case Progressive Animal Welfare Society v. University of Washington (1994)
Most recently applied in Progressive Animal Welfare Society v. University of Washington (November 1994)
Federal agencies are authorized to withhold from disclosure to the public information disclosing any invention in which the Federal Government owns or may own a right, title, or interest (including a nonexclusive license) for a reasonable time in order for a patent application to be filed. Furthermore, Federal agencies shall not be required to release copies of any document which is part of an application for patent filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or with any foreign patent office.