35 U.S.C. § 1 : US Code - Section 1: Establishment

Search 35 U.S.C. § 1 : US Code - Section 1: Establishment

(a) Establishment. - The United States Patent and Trademark
Office is established as an agency of the United States, within the
Department of Commerce. In carrying out its functions, the United
States Patent and Trademark Office shall be subject to the policy
direction of the Secretary of Commerce, but otherwise shall retain
responsibility for decisions regarding the management and
administration of its operations and shall exercise independent
control of its budget allocations and expenditures, personnel
decisions and processes, procurements, and other administrative and
management functions in accordance with this title and applicable
provisions of law. Those operations designed to grant and issue
patents and those operations which are designed to facilitate the
registration of trademarks shall be treated as separate operating
units within the Office.
(b) Offices. - The United States Patent and Trademark Office
shall maintain its principal office in the metropolitan Washington,
D.C., area, for the service of process and papers and for the
purpose of carrying out its functions. The United States Patent and
Trademark Office shall be deemed, for purposes of venue in civil
actions, to be a resident of the district in which its principal
office is located, except where jurisdiction is otherwise provided
by law. The United States Patent and Trademark Office may establish
satellite offices in such other places in the United States as it
considers necessary and appropriate in the conduct of its business.
(c) Reference. - For purposes of this title, the United States
Patent and Trademark Office shall also be referred to as the
"Office" and the "Patent and Trademark Office".