Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

DESIGNS ACT 2003

TABLE OF PROVISIONS

           Long Title

            

CHAPTER 1--Introductory
            

   PART 1--PRELIMINARY

   1.      Short title  
   2.      Commencement  
   3.      Crown to be bound  
   4.      Application of the Act  

   PART 2--INTERPRETATION

   5.      Definitions  
   5A.     Meaning of Convention country  
   5B.     Definition of exclusive licensee  
   6.      Definition of product  
   7.      Definition of visual feature  
   8.      References in this Act to a design  
            

CHAPTER 2--Design rights, ownership and registrable designs
            

   PART 1--SIMPLIFIED--OUTLINE OF CHAPTER 2

   9.      Simplified outline  

   PART 2--DESIGN--RIGHTS

   10.     Exclusive rights of registered owners  
   11.     Assignment of interest in a design  
   12.     Power of registered owner to deal with registered design  

   PART 3--OWNERSHIP--OF DESIGNS

   13.     Who is entitled to be registered as the registered owner of a design  
   14.     Ownership of registered designs  

   PART 4--REGISTRABLE--DESIGNS: VALIDITY

           Division 1--Registrable designs

   15.     Registrable designs  
   16.     Designs that are identical or substantially similar in overall impression  
   17.     Certain things to be disregarded in deciding whether a design is new and distinctive  
   18.     Certain designs not to be treated as other than new and distinctive  

           Division 2--Substantial similarity in overall impression

   19.     Factors to be considered in assessing substantial similarity in overall impression  
            

CHAPTER 3--Design applications
            

   PART 1--SIMPLIFIED--OUTLINE OF CHAPTER 3

   20.     Simplified outline  

   PART 2--DESIGN--APPLICATIONS

           Division 1--Applications

   21.     Person may file a design application  
   22.     A design application may be in respect of more than one design  
   23.     Design applications covering excluded designs  

           Division 2--How Registrar must deal with a design application

   24.     Design applications that meet the minimum filing requirements  
   25.     Publication of receipt of application  

           Division 3--Filing date and priority date

   26.     Filing date  
   27.     Priority date  

   PART 3--AMENDMENT--OR WITHDRAWAL OF DESIGN APPLICATIONS

   28.     Amendment of design applications  
   29.     Disputes between applicants  
   30.     Persons may ask for design application to proceed in the person's name  
   31.     Publication of certain details of amended application  
   32.     Withdrawal of designs and design applications  

   PART 4--LAPSING--OF DESIGN APPLICATIONS

   33.     Lapsing of design applications  
            

CHAPTER 4--Registration of designs
            

   PART 1--SIMPLIFIED--OUTLINE OF CHAPTER 4

   34.     Simplified outline  

   PART 2--REQUESTS--FOR REGISTRATION

   35.     Request for registration  
   36.     Request in respect of designs excluded from an application in respect of more than one design  

   PART 3--REGISTRATION

           Division 1--Formalities check

   39.     Formalities check--applications in respect of one design only  
   40.     Formalities check--applications in respect of more than one design  
   41.     Registrar must give applicants an opportunity to correct deficiencies  
   42.     What happens after Registrar's notification under section 41  
   43.     Registrar must refuse to register certain designs  
   44.     Registrar must register certain designs after refusal  

           Division 2--Registration procedures

   45.     Registrar must notify applicant of registration and give public notice  

           Division 3--Term of registration

   46.     Term of registration  
   47.     Renewal of registration  
   48.     Ceasing of registration  
   49.     Surrender of registration  
   50.     Revocation of registration on surrender  

           Division 4--Revocation on grounds relating to entitled persons

   51.     Revocation of registration on grounds relating to entitled persons  
   52.     Procedures in relation to application  
   53.     Applications by persons declared to be entitled persons in court proceedings  
   54.     Applications by entitled persons after revocation following surrender of registration  
   55.     Priority date of design if an application filed by a person declared to be an entitled person  
   56.     Meaning of original registered owner  

   PART 5--CERTAIN--DOCUMENTS TO BE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION

   60.     Design applications for registered designs and associated documents to be open for public inspection  
   61.     Certain documents not to be published  
            

CHAPTER 5--Examination of designs
            

   PART 1--SIMPLIFIED--OUTLINE OF CHAPTER 5

   62.     Simplified outline  

   PART 2--REQUESTS--FOR EXAMINATION

   63.     Examination of design  
   64.     Requirements for request for examination of design  

   PART 3--EXAMINATION

   65.     What Registrar must do in examining a design  
   66.     Amendment of registration  
   67.     Certificate of examination where registration valid  
   68.     Revocation of registration after examination  

   PART 4--MATERIAL--MAY BE PROVIDED TO REGISTRAR

   69.     Certain material may be provided to Registrar  
            

CHAPTER 6--Infringement
            

   PART 1--SIMPLIFIED--OUTLINE OF CHAPTER 6

   70.     Simplified outline  

   PART 2--INFRINGEMENT--OF REGISTERED DESIGN

   71.     Infringement of design  
   71A.    Infringement exemption--prior use  
   72.     Infringement exemption--repairs  
   73.     Infringement proceedings  
   74.     Counter - claims  
   75.     Remedies for infringement  
   76.     Intervention by Registrar  

   PART 3--RELIEF--FROM UNJUSTIFIED THREATS

   77.     Application for relief from unjustified threats  
   78.     Court's power to grant relief  
   79.     Counter - claim  
   80.     Mere notification of registration not a threat  
   81.     Legal practitioners, registered patent attorneys and registered trade marks attorneys  
            

CHAPTER 7--Jurisdiction and powers of courts
            

   PART 1--SIMPLIFIED--OUTLINE OF CHAPTER 7

   82.     Simplified outline  

   PART 2--JURISDICTION

   83.     Jurisdiction of Federal Court  
   83A.    Jurisdiction of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2)  
   84.     Jurisdiction of other prescribed courts  
   85.     Exercise of jurisdiction  
   86.     Transfer of proceedings etc.  
   87.     Appeals  
   88.     Powers of Federal Court and Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) on hearing an appeal  
   89.     Registrar may appear in appeals  

   PART 3--COMPULSORY--LICENCES AND REVOCATION OF REGISTRATION

   90.     Person may apply to court for compulsory licence  
   91.     Terms of compulsory licence  
   92.     Revocation of registration after grant of compulsory licence  

   PART 4--REVOCATION--OF REGISTRATION BY COURT IN OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES

   93.     Revocation of registration in other circumstances  
            

CHAPTER 8--The Crown
            

   PART 1--SIMPLIFIED--OUTLINE OF CHAPTER 8

   94.     Simplified outline  

   PART 2--USE--BY THE CROWN

   95.     Meaning of terms  
   96.     Crown use of designs--general rule  
   96A.     Crown use of designs--emergencies  
   97.     Applicants, entitled persons and registered owners to be informed of use  
   98.     Crown use of designs--terms (including remuneration)  
   99.     Certain agreement and licences inoperative unless approved by relevant Minister  
   102.    Crown use of designs--court order to cease  
   103.    Sale of products  
   104.    Forfeited products  
   105.    Supply of products by the Commonwealth to foreign countries  

   PART 3--ACQUISITION--BY AND ASSIGNMENTS TO THE CROWN

   106.    Acquisition of design by the Commonwealth  
   107.    Assignment of design to the Commonwealth  

   PART 4--PROHIBITION--ORDERS

   108.    Prohibition of publication of information about designs  
   109.    Publication of information about designs  
            

CHAPTER 9--The Register
            

   110.    Simplified outline  
   111.    Registrar must keep Register  
   112.    Register may be kept by computer  
   113.    Inspection of Register  
   114.    Amendments of Register to record changes of ownership  
   115.    Amendments of Register made to give effect to certain decisions  
   116.    Reissue of certificates  
   117.    Trusts not to be entered in Register  
   118.    Evidentiary provision  
   119.    Admissibility of unregistered interests  
   120.    Rectification of Register  
            

CHAPTER 10--Administration
            

   121.    Simplified outline  
   122.    Registrar  
   123.    Deputy Registrars  
   124.    Delegation by Registrar  
   125.    Designs Office  
   126.    Seal of Designs Office  
   127.    Registrar's Powers  
   128.    Recovery of costs  
            

CHAPTER 11--Miscellaneous
            

   PART 1--SIMPLIFIED--OUTLINE OF CHAPTER 11

   129.    Simplified outline  

   PART 2--FEES

   130.    Fees  
   130A.   Approved means of paying a fee  

   PART 3--OFFENCES

   131.    False entries in Register  
   132.    False representation that a design is registered  
   133.    False representations about the Designs Office  
   134.    Failure to comply with requirements of Registrar  
   135.    Officers not to traffic etc. in designs  

   PART 3A--COMPUTERISED--DECISION-MAKING

   135A.   Computerised decision - making  

   PART 4--REVIEW--OF THE REGISTRAR'S DECISIONS

   136.    Review by Administrative Review Tribunal  

   PART 4A--DOING--ACT AFTER END OF PERIOD OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR DOING IT

   136A.   Doing act when Designs Office reopens after end of period otherwise provided for doing act  

   PART 5--EXTENSIONS--OF TIME

   137.    Extensions of time  
   138.    Consequences of extension  
   139.    Protection of third parties  
   140.    Infringement proceedings  

   PART 6--OTHER

   141.    Powers of agents  
   142.    Right of lien of registered patent attorney and registered trade marks attorney  
   143.    Revocation of registration does not affect court decisions and things done under contracts before revocation  
   144.    Filing of documents  
   144A.   Approved means of filing documents  
   144B.   Directions by Registrar for filing of documents  
   144C.   Directions by Registrar for filing of evidence  
   144D.   Notifications by Registrar under this Act or regulations  
   145.     Service of documents  
   146.    Death of applicant before application determined  
   147.    Death of person after design registered  
   148.    Exercise of discretionary power by Registrar  
   149.    Regulations  
   149A.    Instrument determining formal requirements for design applications etc.  
            

CHAPTER 12--Repeal, transitional and saving provisions
            

   PART 1--REPEAL--OF DESIGNS ACT 1906

   150.    Repeal  

   PART 2--TRANSITIONAL--AND SAVING PROVISIONS

   151.    Application of this Act to certain designs  
   152.    Term of registration of certain designs  
   153.    Applications made before commencing day  
   154.    Other applications and proceedings  
   155.    Pending proceedings  
   156.    Infringement under old Act  
   157.    Registrar and Deputy Registrar  
   158.    The Register  
   159.    Conversion of transitional applications  
   160.    Effect of a converted application  
   160A.   Approvals under subsection 40A(6) of old Act  
   161.    Definitions