Letters Patent Definition

Letters patent grant copyright ownership to an author or inventor.

Letters patent are legal documents wherein the government grants a right or a title to a private citizen. This includes patents for an inventions, copyrights for authors or when ownership of land transfers to an individual.

Letters Patent and the Constitution

According West's Encyclopedia of American Law, Article 1, Section 8, Clause 8 of the U.S. Constitution grants authors and inventors the exclusive rights to their writings and inventions. However, for this clause to take effect, authors and inventors must formally apply for letters patent, following the rules and laws set forth by the rules and regulations regarding patent applications.

Letters Patent and Public Record

Letters patent are a matter of public record. The letters are not sealed and are available for anyone who wishes to see them.

Letters Patent History

The term letters patent goes back to medieval England. Letters patent were decrees or letters from the king or his court that were delivered without a seal and meant to be read out loud as a proclamation. By the late middle ages, letters patent were primarily written by the chancery court, and used to grant petitions from citizens. Most of these petitions involved property ownership.

References

• The Free Dictionary.com: Letters Patent
• Medieval Writing: Letters Patent
• Businessdictionary.com: Letters Patent