37 CFR 41.12
§ 41.12 Citation of authority.
United States · 37 CFR — Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights · Status: effective
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- Citation
- 37 CFR 41.12, § 41.12 Citation of authority, United States, version 1 as recorded 2026-07-09, yourstate.us, https://yourstate.us/provision/162575
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Full text
(a) For any United States Supreme Court decision, citation to the United States Reports is preferred.
(b) For any decision other than a United States Supreme Court decision, citation to the West Reporter System is preferred.
(c) Citations to authority must include pinpoint citations whenever a specific holding or portion of an authority is invoked.
(d) Non-binding authority should be used sparingly. If the authority is not an authority of the Office and is not reproduced in the United States Reports or the West Reporter System, a copy of the authority should be provided.
Legislative history
This is a federal regulation, adopted through agency rulemaking under the Administrative Procedure Act — not enacted by a recorded vote of Congress.