PUBLIC LAW 97-247—AUG. 27, 1982
96 STAT. 321
SEC. 11. The first sentence of section 16 of the Trademark Act of 1946, as amended (15 U.S.C. 1066), is amended to read as follows: "Upon petition showing extraordinary circumstances, the Commissioner may declare that an interference exists when application is made for the registration of a mark which so resembles a mark previously registered by another, or for the registration of which another has previously made application, as to be likely when applied to the goods or when used in connection with the services of the applicant to cause confusion or mistake or to deceive.". SEC. 12. Section 21 of title 35, United States Code, is amended— (1) by deleting the phrase "Day for taking action falling on Saturday, Sunday, or holiday" from the title and inserting in its place the phrase "Filing date and day for taking action"; (2) by inserting the following as subsection (a): "(a) The Commissioner may by rule prescribe that any paper or Filing date. fee required to be filed in the Patent and Trademark Office will be considered filed in the Office on the date on which it was deposited with the United States Postal Service or would have been deposited with the United States Postal Service but for postal service interruptions or emergencies designated by the Commissioner."; (3) by designating the existing paragraph as subsection (b); and (4) by inserting the word "federal" in subsection (b), as designated above, immediately after the word "a". SEC. 13. Section 6(a) of title 35, United States Code, is amended (1) by deleting the word "and", third occurrence, and inserting in its place a comma; (2) by inserting the phrase ", or exchanges of items or services" immediately after the word "programs"; and (3) by inserting the phrase "or the administration of the Patent and Trademark Office" immediately after the word "law", second occurrence. SEC. 14. (a) Section 115 of title 35, United States Code, is amended by (1) deleting the phrase "shall be" and inserting in its place the word "is"; and (2) inserting the following immediately after the phrase "United States", third occurrence: ", or apostille of an official designated by a foreign country which, by treaty or convention, accords like effect to apostilles of designated officials in the United States". (b) Section 261 of title 35, United States Code, is amended, in the third paragraph, by inserting the following immediately after the phrase "United States", third occurrence: ", or apostille of an official designated by a foreign country which, by treaty or convention, accords like effect to apostilles of designated officials in the United States". (c) Section 11 of the Trademark Act of 1946, as amended (15 U.S.C. 1061), is amended by (1) deleting the phrase "shall be", first occurrence, and inserting in its place the word "is"; and (2) inserting the following immediately after the phrase "United States", third occurrence: ", or apostille of an official designated by a foreign country which, by treaty or convention, accords like effect to apostilles of designated officials in the United States". SEC. 15. Section 13 of title 35, United States Code, is amended by deleting "(a) 9" and inserting in its place "(d)". SEC. 16. Section 173 of title 35, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: "Patents for designs shall be granted for the term of fourteen years."
�
