The Certificate of No Precedent
WHAT IT IS. WHAT IT ISN'T. WHAT IT'S FOR.
What it is
A Certificate of No Precedent is a written determination, based on original research, that no precedent has been found for the matter described. It includes the research scope, the conclusion, a case reference number, and the date of determination.
It is a factual document. It reflects what our research found — or did not find. It is as accurate as the research is thorough. Our research is thorough.
What it isn't
It is not a legal document. It carries no legal weight. It cannot be submitted as evidence in any proceeding. It will not protect you from someone who later claims to have done what you did first. It is not a patent, a trademark, or any form of intellectual property protection.
It is also not a guarantee. We research thoroughly. We do not research omnisciently. There may be a precedent we did not find. If you later discover one, we ask that you tell us. We will note it in the record. We will not refund the research fee, because we did the research.
What it's for
Documentation. Confidence. The formal record that at the time of issuance, you were doing something that had not been done before. Many of our clients frame their certificates. Some include them in board presentations. Some keep them privately. The certificate is yours to use as you see fit.
Several clients have told us that the process of preparing the submission — describing what they'd done well enough for someone else to research it — was more valuable than the certificate itself. We note this without drawing a conclusion.
Specimen · Not a Valid Certificate
This certifies that, following comprehensive review:
NO PRECEDENT
has been found for the matter described herein.
Certificate No. [SPECIMEN]
No Precedent Research Services · A Peregrin Arc Property