# 37 C.F.R. § 1.31 (2026): Applicant and patent owner may be represented by one or more patent practitioners or joint inventors

> Federal · Regulations · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P1_S1_31

## Section

- **Citation:** 37 C.F.R. § 1.31 (2026)
- **Heading:** Applicant and patent owner may be represented by one or more patent practitioners or joint inventors
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Regulations
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** Title 37 CFR: Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights / Chapter I / Part 1 / Subpart B / § 1.31: § 1.31   Applicant and patent owner may be represented by one or more patent practitioners or joint inventors.

## Text

(a) An applicant for patent or patent owner may file and prosecute the applicant's or patent owner's own case, or the applicant or patent owner may give power of attorney so as to be represented by one or more patent practitioners or joint inventors, except that the following persons or entities must be represented by a patent practitioner: (1) a juristic entity ( e.g., organizational assignee); (2) an applicant as defined in § 1.42, in which the domicile of at least one of the parties identified as the applicant in the application is not located within the United States or its territories; and (3) a patent owner, in which the domicile of at least one of the parties identified as the patent owner is not located within the United States or its territories. (b) The Office cannot aid in the selection of a patent practitioner. [91 FR 13519, Mar. 20, 2026]

## Nearby sections

- [37 C.F.R. § 1.31 (2026) § 1.31   Applicant and patent owner may be represented by one or more patent practitioners or joint inventors.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P1_S1_31.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 1.32 (2026) § 1.32   Power of attorney.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P1_S1_32.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 1.33 (2026) § 1.33   Correspondence respecting patent applications, patent reexamination proceedings, and other proceedings.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P1_S1_33.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 1.34 (2026) § 1.34   Acting in a representative capacity.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P1_S1_34.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 1.36 (2026) § 1.36   Revocation of power of attorney; withdrawal of patent attorney or agent.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P1_S1_36.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 1.41 (2026) § 1.41   Inventorship.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P1_S1_41.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 1.42 (2026) § 1.42   Applicant for patent.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P1_S1_42.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 1.43 (2026) § 1.43   Application for patent by a legal representative of a deceased or legally incapacitated inventor.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P1_S1_43.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 1.45 (2026) § 1.45   Application for patent by joint inventors.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P1_S1_45.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 1.46 (2026) § 1.46   Application for patent by an assignee, obligated assignee, or a person who otherwise shows sufficient proprietary interest in the matter.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P1_S1_46.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 1.48 (2026) § 1.48   Correction of inventorship pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 116 or correction of the name or order of names in a patent application, other than a reissue application.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P1_S1_48.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 1.51 (2026) § 1.51   General requisites of an application.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P1_S1_51.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 1.52 (2026) § 1.52   Language, paper, writing, margins, read-only optical disc specifications.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P1_S1_52.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 1.53 (2026) § 1.53   Application number, filing date, and completion of application.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P1_S1_53.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P1_S1_31. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.