35 USC § 23 - Testimony in Patent and Trademark Office cases

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t35/s23"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "35 USC § 23 - Testimony in Patent and Trademark Office cases"
title_number: 35
title_name: "PATENTS"
section_number: "23"
section_name: "Testimony in Patent and Trademark Office cases"
chapter_number: 2
chapter_name: "PROCEEDINGS IN THE PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE"
part_number: "I"
part_name: "UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2025-12-12"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(July 19, 1952, ch. 950, 66 Stat. 795; Pub. L. 93–596, § 1, Jan. 2, 1975, 88 Stat. 1949; Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4732(a)(10)(A)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–582; Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title III, § 13206(b)(1)(B), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1906.)"
---


# § 23. Testimony in Patent and Trademark Office cases

The Director may establish rules for taking affidavits and depositions required in cases in the Patent and Trademark Office. Any officer authorized by law to take depositions to be used in the courts of the United States, or of the State where he resides, may take such affidavits and depositions.

---

**Source Credit**: (July 19, 1952, ch. 950, 66 Stat. 795; Pub. L. 93–596, § 1, Jan. 2, 1975, 88 Stat. 1949; Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4732(a)(10)(A)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–582; Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title III, § 13206(b)(1)(B), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1906.)

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on Title 35, U.S.C., 1946 ed., § 53 (R.S. 4905).

This section is placed in part 1 since it relates to trade-mark cases in the Patent Office as well as to patent cases.

Language is changed.

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2002— made technical correction to directory language of . See 1999 Amendment note below.

1999—, as amended by , substituted “Director” for “Commissioner”.

1975— substituted “Patent and Trademark Office” for “Patent Office” in section catchline and text.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1999 Amendment

Amendment by  effective 4 months after , see section 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4731] of , set out as a note under .

### Effective Date of 1975 Amendment

Amendment by  effective , see , set out as a note under , Commerce and Trade.