Legal Definitions - Boykin Act

The Boykin Act is a law that was passed after World War II. It allowed citizens of former enemy nations to have more time to apply for patents in the United States. This means that people from countries that were once enemies of the U.S. could still protect their inventions and ideas by getting a patent.

For example, if someone from Japan had an idea for a new invention during World War II, they may not have been able to apply for a U.S. patent because of the war. But with the Boykin Act, they would have more time to apply for a patent after the war was over.

A similar law, called the Nolan Act, was passed after World War I. It also extended patenting deadlines for citizens of former enemy nations.