37 CFR § 1.31 - Applicant may be represented by one or more patent practitioners or joint inventors.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t37/s1.31"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "37 CFR § 1.31 - Applicant may be represented by one or more patent practitioners or joint inventors."
title_number: 37
title_name: "Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights"
section_number: "1.31"
section_name: "Applicant may be represented by one or more patent practitioners or joint inventors."
chapter_name: "UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE"
subchapter_number: "A"
subchapter_name: "GENERAL"
part_number: "1"
part_name: "RULES OF PRACTICE IN PATENT CASES"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "35 U.S.C. 2(b)(2), unless otherwise noted."
regulatory_source: "24 FR 10332, Dec. 22, 1959, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "1"
---


# 1.31 Applicant may be represented by one or more patent practitioners or joint inventors.

An applicant for patent may file and prosecute the applicant's own case, or the applicant may give power of attorney so as to be represented by one or more patent practitioners or joint inventors, except that a juristic entity (*e.g.,* organizational assignee) must be represented by a patent practitioner even if the juristic entity is the applicant. The Office cannot aid in the selection of a patent practitioner.

[77 FR 48813, Aug. 14, 2012]