Statutory Basis: Comptroller and other officers authorised under s.62(3) of the Patents and Designs Act 1907 (includes Design Right, Licence of Right, matters under Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and Registered Designs Act 1949)

Description: The Comptroller (also known as the Registrar of Trade Marks or Designs) has a jurisdiction to hear a range of ex parte and inter partes disputes in the fields of trade marks, patents, registered designs and unregistered designs.

Jurisdiction: UK-wide

Statistical data for 2008/09 Financial Year

Judicial Pool: Patents - 7 (inter partes), 19 (ex parte)
Designs - 10 (inter partes), 3 (ex parte)
Trade Marks - 10 (inter partes), 8 (ex parte)

Days Sat: Patents - 9 (inter partes), 51 (ex parte)
Designs - 0.5 (inter partes)
Trade Marks - 60 (inter partes)

Receipts: Patents - 36, Designs - 27, Trade Marks - 3,258

Withdrawn: no information availble

Decided: Patents - 38, Designs - 2, Trade Marks - 199

Outstanding: Patents - 42, Designs - 37, Trade Marks - 2,554

Success Rate: Patents - not available, Designs - 0%, Trade Marks - not available

Oral Hearings: Patents - 10% (inter partes), 65% (ex parte)
Designs - 50% (inter partes), 0% (ex parte)
Trade Marks - 60% (inter partes), 100% (ex parte)

Waiting Times: Patents (inter partes) - 39 days from hearing to dispatch of decision
Patents (ex parte) - 13 weeks to hearing, 35 days to dispatch of decision
Designs (inter partes) - 6 weeks to hearing, 12 days to dispatch of decision
Trade Marks (inter partes) - 12 weeks to hearing, 7 days to dispatch of decision

Notes: These figures are for the UK.

Committees

Scottish
Committee

Cymru / Welsh
Committee