Legal Definitions - administrative patent judge

An administrative patent judge is a public official appointed by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to hear and decide legal matters related to patents. They are responsible for conducting interference and appeal proceedings.

For example, if two inventors claim to have invented the same thing, an administrative patent judge will hear their arguments and decide who gets the patent. They also hear appeals from patent applicants who have been denied a patent by the Patent Office.

Overall, administrative patent judges play an important role in ensuring that patents are granted fairly and accurately.