On 12/13/06, Startari, Judy <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> My corporation has thousands of patents world-wide.  Each quarter of the
> year, the IP department within the Legal division makes decisions on
> permitting a patent to expire (lapse) or renew.  I am interested in how
> long those of you who have this type of record maintain it.  We keep
> expired patents for 30 years past expiration. It does not seem that the
> decision not to renew should be kept that long; however many times at
> the ten year or fifteen year mark, there are questions as to the basis
> (business reason) for non-renewal.
>


I must admit, I'm confused here...

If these files are related to patents that you're allowing to lapse, then
aren't they essentially "expired" once that happens?

So how would these be any different, or why would you apply a different
retention to them?

Larry

-- 
Larry Medina
Danville, CA
RIM Professional since 1972

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