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By Frederic Douglas April 1999 [email protected] Introduction      Gas chromatography (“GC”) and mass spectrometry (“MS”) make an effective combination for chemical analysis.  This article serves to demonstrate tools for an effective attack or defense of GC/MS evidence.  To effectively use G...

© 2010 Frederic M. Douglas.   All Rights Reserved. People often ask how to “copyright” their work, be it music, a novel, a website, a software application, or many other works.  They recognize that they should register a copyright to receive proper compensation, respect, or at least credit for t...

(A) Determine and Review Litigation Objectives    What does the client want?  Recover physical property?  Avoid incarceration?  Get a jackpot of gold at the end of a rainbow?  Revenge?  Teach someone a lesson?  Whatever the objectives, you need to consider whether you support the client's objecti...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1322863/Colgate-accused-stealing-1-000-year-old-Indian-toothpaste-recipe.html

Frederic M. Douglas © 1999 Frederic M. Douglas.  All rights Reserved.      In the following sample foundation, a sample from the charred remains from a suspected arson fire to a residential structure is presented to the witness.  The witness explains the GC/MS test results.  The examining attorne...

GC/MS Analysis - Verify or Compromise April 1999 from dougfrm

Eureka! Now What? – Entrepreneur.com.

Planning to sue someone for infringing your patent? Do you know that if you are not careful in preparing for your suit, you could end up being ordered to pay the attorney fees of the defendant? Review these steps and consult an attorney for guidance in relation to your particular facts.  No legal...

PRG has sweepstakes for Oct. Advanced Courses.  http://bit.ly/aPhfTR  I'd like the “Latent Dangers of Common Prosecution Practices” course.  Get the information at http://intellogist.wordpress.com/2010/08/12/patent-law-in-palm-springs-sweepstakes/

Get my answers to legal questions at Avvo.com

Work with an experienced lawyer who is registered with the Patent and Trademark Office and does patent work for a living.

Consider the pros and cons of filing a provisional patent application: (a)         First things first – it is not a “provisional patent.”  It is a “provisional patent application.”  Do not trust anyone that does not bring up the fact that the provisional patent application never automatically bec...

Plan on filing your patent application sooner rather than later. Only one year grace period after public disclosure in U.S. Only 6 months in Japan. No grace period in Europe.

Do a patent search: Is your invention novel? What is the scope of the prior art? If you are improving on something that has already been patented, is your invention a new physical feature, a combination of prior separate features, or a new use of a prior feature? If you are improving som...

Assess the market of your invention. Rule of thumb – total lifetime sales should be twenty times or more of the cost of inventing and patenting your invention.

Keep written records of your progress in developing the invention: (a) Write down all invention modifications, experiments, alternatives, and other details. (b)  Keep copies of any emails, notes, letters, text messages or anything documenting discussions with others regarding your invention. (...

Don't talk about your invention to anyone without a written confidentiality agreement.  Exception for attorneys.  Attorneys have a legal responsibility to keep a client or potential client's confidential information confidential.  Thus, at attorney that takes your case or considers taking your ca...

When you get your stroke of genius and come up with an idea, WRITE IT DOWN! You need to create a record of invention before going any further.  You should list: (a) A full and complete description of your idea; (b) The date (very important);. (c) Your signature; and (d) Dates and signatures o...

Before you share your masterpiece with the world, you should make sure it is protected by copyright. Register your copyright so that you receive proper compensation, respect, and at least credit for your work. First, let's get a legal technicality out of the way. Your song is “copyrighted” withou...

Are you thinking about recording a phone call or some other conversation? Do you know if it is legal? Listen to my discussion to help yourself act carefully. I provide a summary of the federal law on recordings, with extra material on California law.  http://www.keen.com/details/GoodLawyer/Person...

GC/MS Evidence: Attacking and Defending Chemical Compound Identification For Legal Practitioners April 1999; © 1999-2010. All Rights Reserved. By Frederic M. Douglas, Attorney At Law [email protected]  Introduction      Gas chromatography (“GC”) and mass spectrometry (“MS”) make an effectiv...