*>I'll bet it's pretty easy for two companies to make a deal to pay bonuses to e... | Hacker News

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		fern12 on May 29, 2018 \| parent \| context \| favorite \| on: Evidence of regulatory capture of patent examiners >I'll bet it's pretty easy for two companies to make a deal to pay bonuses to each other's employees when patents are granted. With regard to the moonlighting patent examiners, I'm fairly certain this is illegal. See MPEP 309 and MPEP 1702. https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/s309.html#d0e1919... https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/s1702.html

Cthulhu_ on May 29, 2018 [–]

It's not a crime if nobody finds out.

fern12 on May 29, 2018 | | [–]

True. But occasionally, it does happen.

https://www.ipethicslaw.com/pto-suspends-ptab-atty-who-filed...

snowwrestler on May 29, 2018 | | | [–]

By this logic, all the patent examiners might be jaywalkers and murderers too.

patentatt on May 29, 2018 | | [–]

Seriously folks, this doesn’t happen. Don’t get all tinfoil hat-ey on this.

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