Condomini senza carte in regola.

Di strada, per arrivare a un condominio "con le carte in regola", bisogna farne ancora molta. Lo dimostrano i risultati dell'ultimo sondaggio svolto dall'Anaci, associazione di amministratori condominiali, in tandem con Censis Servizi. Spulciando nella ricerca si scopre, tanto per cominciare, che un palazzo su tre non ha il certificato di agibilità. Secondo gli amministratori, nella maggior parte dei casi (63,9%) si tratta di immobili costruiti prima dell'introduzione del l'obbligo. E la percentuale risulta tutto sommato in linea con i dati dell'Istat, che ha censito più di 2 milioni di edifici abitativi – su 11 milioni – costruiti prima del regio decreto 1265/1934 (con cui è stato introdotto l'obbligo di produrre il certificato).

Nel caso degli immobili più recenti, invece, l'assenza della documentazione è attribuita a «difficoltà di ricerca». Una risposta che può avere diverse letture: a) il professionista non si è dato da fare; b) il certificato è andato perso negli anni; c) il certificato non è mai esistito. In tutti i casi, comunque, ci vorrà più rigore quando la riforma del condominio diventerà legge. Il nuovo articolo 1130 del codice civile, infatti, impone all'amministratore di conservare, tra l'altro, «tutta la documentazione inerente (...) allo stato tecnico-amministrativo dell'edificio e del condominio».

Nello stesso fascicolo, quindi, il professionista dovrà conservare anche altri atti come il certificato di prevenzione incendi, la verifica biennale della messa a terra e il documento di valutazione dei rischi. E qui si accende qualche spia d'allarme. Il sondaggio Anaci evidenzia che, in un caso su quattro, gli edifici con riscaldamento centralizzato sono privi dell'attestazione anti-incendio: l'obbligo scatta solo per le caldaie di maggiori dimensioni – e quindi non è detto che si sia sempre in presenza di violazioni – ma certo il dato impone attenzione. Ancora meno diffusa è la verifica biennale dell'impianto di terra in campo elettrico (53% degli edifici, secondo il sondaggio), con un massimo del 57,3% al Nord e un minimo del 40,3% al Sud.

Un discorso a parte va fatto per il documento di valutazione dei rischi, che risulta presente in meno di un palazzo su quattro. Il dato potrebbe sembrare molto basso, ma bisogna considerare che la norma riguarda solo i condomìni che hanno dei dipendenti. La ricerca è stata realizzata partendo da 773 questionari compilati online da altrettanti professionisti aderenti al l'Anaci, che hanno in gestione oltre 30mila edifici. Il campione, quindi, rappresenta una base qualificata, perché esclude i 277mila amministratori "fai-da-te" che curano un unico stabile. I risultati, però, mostrano che anche tra i professionisti ci sono ampi margini di miglioramento sotto il profilo della regolarità documentale.

Qualche buona notizia, comunque, arriva dagli ascensori. Praticamente tutti gli impianti sono in regola con le verifiche ordinarie biennali, segno che la minaccia del blocco d'esercizio – previsto in caso di inadempienze – si rivela uno strumento molto efficace. Inoltre, metà degli ascensori risulta già dotata del dispositivo di livellamento al piano, lo strumento che impedisce la formazione di pericolosi "scalini" quando le porte si aprono. Ebbene, proprio l'installazione di questa apparecchiatura, insieme con il combinatore telefonico per l'allarme in cabina, è uno degli interventi più comuni tra quelli che sarebbero stati imposti dal Dm 23 luglio 2009, poi annullato dal Tar Lazio nella primavera del 2010. Certo, resta il nodo degli impianti più vecchi – 690mila installati prima del 1999 in tutta Italia – ma in quel caso saranno gli amministratori a dover promuovere gli interventi in assemblea.

Fonte: Cristiano Dell'Oste de Il Sole 24Ore

Arbitration And The Lemon Law

If the neighbor's Pekinese decides to scare off bad guys at 2:00AM in the morning, and does this every night, and you can't persuade your neighbor to correct the situation, perhaps mediation or arbitration is the answer. After all, going to court seems a bit much, and committing crimes against the little $%%$# is probably counter productive.

I say this by way of introducing the fact that your long battle against the Fords or Mercedes' of the world isn't at all like getting the neighbor's lap dog to be quiet. There are situations where arbitration or a dispute resolution process is entirely appropriate. However we want to say it right up front, after over four thousand five hundred lemon law cases we have almost never seen a case where the vehicle owner benefited from arbitration with a manufacturer.

It is an unequal battle that is but one step in a long war. The outcome is inevitable. To engage in this war is equivalent to a middle-aged, non-athletic accountant, dedicated to ribs and beer stepping into the ring with the young Muhammad Ali. You won't even see that sweet left hook coming. Everything is on the side of the manufacturer.

Sun-tzu in the "The Art of War" wrote, "Generally in warfare: if ten times the enemies strength, surround them; if five times, attack them; if double, divide them; if equal, be able to fight them; if fewer, be able to evade them; if weaker, be able to avoid them." I hate to be the one to break the news but consumers very definitely fall in the latter two categories. Consumers going into arbitration have fewer soldiers and are certainly weaker.

In California two things level the playing field. A strong lemon law - the Song Beverly Act - and very experienced lemon law attorneys. We should have these things, after all California has more cars on the road than any other state.

Lets look at a definition of Arbitration: "The process by which the parties to a dispute submit their differences to the judgment of an impartial person or group appointed by mutual consent or statutory provision." With very few exceptions you can forget impartial and mutual consent.

If Saddam Hussein offered to arbitrate detente between Islam and Israel, I for one would have problems with the impartiality of his decision. Mr. Hussein will never be found on the moral high ground. Arbitration can be similarly unequal. Fairness, equity and the proper application of the law are what should occur in arbitration. If you want the consumer to accept arbitration that is sponsored by an automobile manufacturer, or where the arbitration organization receives most of its business from automobile manufacturers, then I give you the same answer Israel would give Saddam. "Forget it! Not on your best day, sport!"

There are other factors that unfortunately work against arbitration being an equitable solution for consumers with lemon vehicles.

Training

Professional arbitrators are not necessarily trained in the lemon law, in fact it is far more likely that they have no training in the subject at all. Arbitrators are rarely judges or lawyers. Generally the arbitrator is trained in so-called people skills, how to negotiate and perhaps a smattering of legal knowledge. This is a subject area where a little knowledge is very definitely dangerous. Perhaps the arbitrator imagines he or she can get by on common sense and honesty. If it were true the consumer would seldom lose a case.

Are consumers properly prepared for arbitration?

How could they be, even if they read the Song Beverly Act, or anything else? Even with all the facts, consumers don't know what to expect. Consumers aren't all lawyers. The manufacturer will send a lawyer trained to handle this sort of thing. The manufacturer's lawyer may lie; that's correct, lie. There's not much consumers can do about that except feel miserable. Whether the manufacturer s representatives lie or not, they will present a blizzard of bizarre possibilities, all designed to confuse and dilute the consumer's case.

Is arbitration binding?

There is light at the end of this particular tunnel, however. In California, arbitration is not binding; it's just another waste of time. When the ruling is handed down, and the manufacturer is permitted another repair attempt, consumers need not comply, consumers can get a lemon law attorney and put an end to the endless games manufacturers play.

Cost

Even if the arbitration is paid by the state, what is often ignored is the lost time from work, expenses for experts where expenses are required, copying, and running around to get copies of missing paperwork. Then there is the time spent preparing an oral argument, trying to figure out how to answer the manufacturer's defenses. Of course, if the manufacturer runs the arbitration, this is no arbitration at all.

How long does it take?

If consumers get this far they have often been trying to get the dealer/manufacturer to do something about their car for many months, even years. Arbitration adds another 30-90 days onto to the process. If the car is dangerous to drive what do consumers do? Are they supposed to endanger themselves and their families in an attempt to finally get the problem resolved? Should they do this, especially when there is a better than even chance that more delay will be added into the process by awards of additional repair attempts? This is hardly a fair and equitable solution to the problem.

A little known fact

All major vehicle manufacturers have networks of dealerships all across the country and even the world. Manufacturers enter into contracts with dealerships. These contracts affect every aspect of sales, maintenance and repair of their vehicles. More frequently than the public ever discovers, there are disputes between dealerships and manufacturers.

L'amministratore può chiedere i debiti solo al proprietario della casa.

Nel condominio il pagamento degli oneri di gestione delle parti comuni grava solo sul proprietario dell’appartamento. Se c'è un'azione di recupero della quota di spese di competenza dell’immobile, è "passivamente legittimato" solo il vero proprietario della casa e non anche chi possa apparire tale.

La Corte Suprema (sentenza n. 574/11) ha annullato il decreto ingiuntivo emesso da un Giudice di pace nell'ambito di un giudizio secondo equità (inferiore a 1100 euro) contro chi si era sempre comportato come proprietario per moltissimi anni malgrado l'appartamento fosse della moglie. Il comportamento era apparso tale da giustificare la tutela dell'apparenza del diritto e quindi del terzo di buona fede, ossia, nel caso concreto dell'amministratore del condominio.

L'esigenza di individuare con certezza chi é tenuto al pagamento nasce dal carattere reale delle obbligazioni nel condominio. La ripartizione delle spese comuni (art. 1123, comma 1 c.c.) grava, salvo diversa convenzione, su ciascun condomino in base a un criterio che come prescinde dal godimento effettivo della porzione di proprietà particolare, così non considera rilevante che altri, piuttosto che il proprietario, utilizzi l'unità immobiliare singola, fruendo delle cose e dei servizi comuni e concorrendo di fatto ai relativi oneri.

Fonte: La Stampa.it

Attribuzioni amministratore, potere di effettuare una ricognizione di debito.

Tribunale Roma, sez. V, 04 maggio 2010 , n. 9812

Il potere di rappresentanza ex mandato che lega l’amministratore al condominio è contenuto nei limiti delle attribuzioni indicate dall’art. 1130 c.c., limiti che possono essere superati solo se il regolamento di condominio o l’assemblea conferiscano maggiori poteri. Non rientra allora tra le attribuzioni dell’amministratore del condominio, quale organo di rappresentanza dell’ente di gestione deputato all’ordinaria amministrazione dei beni comuni, il potere di effettuare una ricognizione di debito che inevitabilmente si riflette sulla sfera giuridico – patrimoniale dei singoli condomini, senza apposita autorizzazione assembleare.

Fonte: Condominioweb

Basics Of US Patent Law

United States has the most expansive patent subject matter in the world. US Patent Office has granted patents to living organism, computer software, business methods, new alphabets and countless.

Article 1 Section 1 Clause 8 of the US Constitution empowers the congress to promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries. In furtherance of the power granted by the constitution, the US Congress enacted the first patent act in the year 1790. Though the act was amended several times, the most important amendment came about in the year 1952, when congress passed a new patent act codified under Title 35 of the United States Code. Though a few changes were made in 1986, 1996 and 1999, most provisions of the 1952 Act are still in effect.

The US Patent Law is based on the utilitarian reasoning, which is to promote the progress of science and useful arts in general public interest. An inventor gives an invention to the public and gets exclusive rights over it for a limited period of time. By granting exclusive rights to inventors for a limited period of time, the patent law provides incentive to invent, invest, design around and disclose which in turn encourages progress of science and technology.

Requirements for Patentability

To be eligible for a patent, an invention should satisfy the requirements of Patentable subject matter (Sec. 101),

a) Usefulness (Sec. 101)

b) Novelty (Sec. 102)

c) Non-obviousness (Sec. 103)

d) Specification (Sec. 112).

Usefulness - An invention would be eligible for a patent grant only if it is useful (35 USC Sec. 101). The utility of the invention should be current, substantial and credible. Speculative or future uses are not eligible for the patent. But with regard to genetic inventions, showing of future use is generally allowed. Inventions, which have immoral uses, are not accepted to be useful.

Novelty - Novelty means new. An invention in order to be patentable should be new in the light of that exists at the time of conception of the invention. Section 102 gives a non-exhaustive list of circumstance that denies an invention of its newness.

Non-obviousness - An invention to be patentable should not be obvious or known at the time of invention. An invention is obvious, if a single prior art reference or a combination of prior art references as a whole, make the invention obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art to which the invention belongs. The invention should be obvious at the time of conception of the invention and not at the time of contention of obviousness.

As per the Section 103 - Obviousness of an invention will be decided by determining the scope of the prior art, by finding out the differences between the prior art and the claimed invention and by ascertaining the level of ordinary skill in the art. Secondary Indicia like commercial success, unexpected results, copying, praise of experts, etc. could also be considered for making an obviousness determination.

Specification - An inventor must file a patent application containing a specification (35 USC Sec. 112). The specification should contain written description of the invention and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise and exact terms, so as to enable a person with ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention. The specification should also describe the best mode of carrying out the invention. The written description may contain drawings where and when required to clearly describe the invention. The specification should conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and definitely claiming the subject matter of the invention. The claims define the metes and bounds of the invention claimed by the inventor. The inventor gets rights only over what is defined in the claims.

The basic requirement for patentability is that the invention should fall within the scope of patentable subject matter as defined under Section 101. (35 USC Sec. 101). As per section 101, any new and useful invention or discovery, which is a process, machine, manufacture or composition of matter is patentable. It also includes any new and useful improvements made to an existing invention. An invention generally falls under more than one category.

The courts have construed the terms process, machine, manufacture and compositions of matter very broadly. In Diamond v. Chakrabarty, the United States Supreme Court while upholding the patentability of an oil-eating bacterium stated that everything under the sun made by man is patentable.

Not eligible for Patentability

The statute does not expressly bar any subject matter from patentability, the Courts have held physical phenomenon, abstract ideas and products of nature to be outside the scope of patentability.

An invention is not considered new or novel if the same were on sale for more than a year before the filing date of patent application. Selling the invention for testing deprived it of the novelty. Even making an offer to sell or making a contract of sale for the future is fatal to novelty of the invention and it shall not patented.

An invention is not new if it is known or used by anyone in the United States or printed or published in a foreign country. The use should be publicly accessible use and not secret use.

An invention can not be patented, if the inventor had abandoned the invention to the public. Taking an invention, which has been dedicated to the public out of the public domain, is against the basic objective of patent law.

An invention is not patentable if it has been patented in a foreign country twelve months before the filing date of the present patent application.

Priority date

As per the Section 102 - For ascertaining the priority, the date of conception would be taken into consideration. The inventor who conceived first and was diligent in reducing the invention to practice would be considered as the first inventor. An invention is not patentable if another person before the applicant has invented it. That first inventor should not have abandoned, suppressed or concealed his invention.

Il condominio e la ripartizione delle spese: come verificarne la regolarità.

Tutti i condomini, per il sol fatto d'essere tali e salvo diversa indicazione contenuta negli atti d'acquisto in un regolamento condominiale di orgine contrattuale, devono partecipare alle spese necessarie per la gestione e conservazione delle parti comuni.

La misura dei diritti e degli obblighi dei comproprietari è proporzionale al valore dell'unità immobiliare di loro appartenenza (articolo 1118 e 1123 c.c.). Ciò, per quanto concerne le spese, sta a significare che ogni condomino è tenuto a partecipare alle stesse sulla base dei millesimi di proprietà (la c.d. tabella millesimale).

Questo è il criterio generale che vale per ogni edificio in condomino e più nello specifico «per la conservazione e per il godimento delle parti comuni dell'edificio, per la prestazione dei servizi nell'interesse comune e per le innovazioni» (articolo 1123, primo comma, c.c.).

Esso è attenuato per le spese d'uso (l'esempio classico è il costo della pulizia delle scale, articolo 1123, secondo comma, c.c.) e per i casi di condominio parziale (es. stabile con più scale). Solamente un accordo tra tutti i condomini può consentire una diversa ripartizione dei costi di gestione.

In questo contesto, dunque, ogni condomino può verificare molto semplicemente se il criterio di ripartizione adottato in relazione alla singola spesa è quello previsto dalla legge o dal regolamento. È prassi, infatti, che nel piano di riparto o nella relazione illustrativa di accompagnamento l'amministratore dia indicazione il criterio adottato (ossia della tabella millesimale utilizzata). Appurata l'erroneità della scelta, il condomino potrà farlo notare prima o durante la riunione per la rettifica ma in caso di ratifica della ripartizione da parte dell'assemblea l'unico modo di contestare quella scelta sarà l'impugnazione della delibera.

Fonte: Avv. Alessandro Gallucci su Il Sole 24Ore

Cassazione: violazione di domicilio in un condominio? Niente condanna se la querela è proposta da un solo condomino.

D'ora in avanti alcuni reati commessi all'interno di un condominio rischiano di restare impuniti se a presentare querela è un solo condomino. E' quanto emerge da una sentenza della Corte di Cassazione che sancisce: "il condomino non e' legittimato a presentare querela per un reato commesso in danno di parti comuni dell'edificio".

La decisione è della quinta Sezione penale della Corte che ha accolto il ricorso di un uomo che i giudici di merito avevano condannato a due mesi di reclusione per violazione di domicilio. L'uomo, si legge nella sentenza 6197/2010 della Corte, si era introdotto clandestinamente nel sottoscala di un palazzo dove veniva sorpreso da uno dei condomini. Questi aveva sporto denuncia ma da solo e il Tribunale di Genova gli dava ragione condannando il responsabile per il reato di violazione di domicilio.

La suprema Corte però ha ribaltato il verdetto ricordando che "l'espresione della volonta' di presentare querela per un fatto lesivo dell'interesse comune non puo' che passare attraverso lo strumento della gestione collegiale". Quindi, spiega la Corte, "per la presentazione di una valida querela da parte di un condominio in relazione ad un reato commesso in danno del patrimonio comune dello stesso presuppone uno specifico incarico conferito all'amministratore dall'assemblea condominiale".

Fonte: Roberto Cataldi de Studio Cataldi

Basics Of Patent Law In India

History

In 1957, Govt. of India appointed Justice N. Rajagopala Ayyangar examine and review the Patent law in India who submitted his report September 1959 recommending the retention of Patent System despite shortcomings. The Patent Bill, 1965 based mainly on his recommendations incorporating a few changes, in particular relating to Patents for food, drug, medicines, was introduced in the lower house of Parliament on 21st September, 1965. The bill was passed by the Parliament and the Patents Act 1970 came into force on 20th April 1972 along with Patent Rules 1972. This law was suited changed political situation and economic needs for providing impetus technological development by promoting inventive activities in the country.

Uruguay round of GATT negotiations paved the way for WTO. Therefore India was put under the contractual obligation to amend its patents act in compliance with the provisions of TRIPS. India had to meet the first set of requirements on 1- 1-1995. This was to give a pipeline protection till the country starts giving product patent. It came to force on 26th March 1999 retrospective from 1-1-1995. It lays down the provisions for filing of application for product patent in the field of drugs or medicines with effect from 01.01.1995 and grant of Exclusive Marketing Rights on those products.

India amended its Patents Act again in 2002 to meet with the second set of obligations (Term of Patent etc.), which had to be effected from 1-1-2000. This amendment, which provides for 20 years term for the patent, Reversal of burden of proof etc. came into force on 20th May, 2003. The Third Amendment of the Patents Act 1970, by way of the Patents (Amendment) Ordinance 2004 came into force on 1st January, 2005 incorporating the provisions for granting product patent in all fields of Technology including chemicals, food, drugs & agrochemicals and this Ordinance is replaced by the Patents (Amendment) Act 2005 which is in force now having effect from 1-1-2005 .

ESTABLISHMENT OF PATENT ADMINISTRATION IN INDIA

Patent system in India is administered under the superintendence of the Controller General of Patents, Designs, Trademarks and Geographical Indications.

The Office of the Controller General functions under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry. There are four patent offices in India. The Head Office is located at Kolkata and other Patent Offices are located at Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. The Controller General delegates his powers to Sr. Joint Controller, Joint Controllers, Deputy Controllers and Assistant Controllers. Examiners of patents in each office discharge their duties according to the direction of the Controllers.

Hierarchy of Officers in Patent office

Controller General of Patents, Designs, Trademarks & GI

Examiners of Patents & Designs

Assistant Controller of Patents & Designs

Deputy Controller of Patents & Designs

Joint Controller of Patents & Designs

Senior Joint Controller of Patents & Designs

Patentable Inventions:

A patent can be granted for an invention which may be related to any process or product. The word "Invention " has been defined under the Patents Act 1970 as amended from time to time.

"An invention means a new product or process involving an inventive step and capable of industrial application" (S. 2(1)(j))

" new invention" is defined as any invention or technology which has not been anticipated by publication in any document or used in the country or elsewhere in the world before the date of filing of patent application with complete specification, i.e. the subject matter has not fallen in public domain or that it does not form part of the state of the art; Where, Capable of industrial application, in relation to an invention, means that the invention is capable of being made or used in an industry

(S.2 (1)(ac)) Therefore, the criteria for an invention to be patentable are,

(1) An invention must be novel

(2) has an inventive step and

(3) is capable of industrial application

To be patentable, an invention should fall within the scope of patentable subject matter as defined by the patent statute. The invention must relate to a machine, article or substance produced by manufacture, or the process of manufacture of an article. A patent may also be obtained for an improvement of an article or of a process of manufacture. With regard to medicine or drug and certain classes of chemicals no patent is granted for the product itself even if new, only the process of manufacturing the substance is patentable. However, product patents would be available for drugs and food materials from 2005 as India's obligations under the TRIPs Agreement would kick in from that point of time. If any substance falls outside the scope of patentable subject matter, it cannot be patentable.

NOT PATENTABLE INVENTIONS

There are some products and processes, which are not patentable in India They are classified into two categories in the patent act

a) Those which are not inventions (S.3)

b) Invention relating to atomic Energy (S.4)

Various types of non-patentable inventions under Section 3 are as follows-
3(a) An invention which is frivolous or which claims anything obvious contrary to well established natural laws.

Merely making in one piece, articles, previously made in two or more pieces is frivolous. Mere usefulness is not sufficient (Indian vacuum brake co. ltd vs. Laurd (AUR 1962 CAK 152).

Perpetual motion machine alleged to be giving output without any input is not patentable as it is contrary to natural law.

3(b) An invention the primary or intended use or commercial exploitation of which could be contrary to public order or morality or which causes serious prejudice to human, animal or plant life or health or to the environment

3(c) The mere discovery of a scientific principle or the formulation of an abstract theory or discovery of any living thing or non-living substances occurring in nature;

3(d) The mere discovery of a new form of a known substance which does not result in the enhancement of the known efficacy of that substance or the mere discovery of any new property or new use for a known substance or of the mere use of a known process, machine or apparatus unless such known process results in a new product or employs at least one new reactant.

Explanation- For the purposes of this clause, salts, esters, ethers, polymorphs, metabolites, pure form, particle size, isomers, mixtures of isomers, complexes, combinations and other derivatives of known substance shall be considered to be the same substance, unless they differ significantly in properties with regard to efficacy.

[Note: Before amendment of Section 3 (d) by the Patents (Amendments) Ordinance 2004 it reads as "mere discovery of any new property or new use for a known substance or mere use of a known process, machine or apparatus..."The insertion of the word "mere" before 'new use for a known substance' in this clause by the Patents (Amendment) Ordinance 2004, is for the purpose of drafting clarity only as without it the sub-section would have remained ambiguous. This does not restrict the nonpatentability and give rise to ambiguity and possible misuse. There is no
need of giving wider meaning to it.]

3(e) A substance obtained by a mere admixture resulting only in the aggregation of
the properties of the components thereof or a process for producing such substance:

3(f) The mere arrangement or re-arrangement or duplication of known devices each
functioning independently of one another in a known way.

3(h) A method of agriculture or horticulture.
(i) A method of producing a new form of a known plant even if it involved a modification of the conditions under which natural phenomena would pursue their inevitable course is not patentable. (N.V. Philips Gloeiammpenfabrieken's Application 71 RFC 192).

3(i) Any process for the medicinal, surgical, curative, prophylactic diagnostic therapeutic or other treatment of human being or any process for a similar treatment of animals to render them free of disease or to increase their economic value or that of their products.

Plants and animals in whole or any part thereof other than microorganisms but including seeds, varieties and species and essentially biological processes for production or propagation of plants and animals;
Example: Clones and new variety of plants are not patentable. But process / method of preparing Genetically Modified Organisms are patentable subject matter.

3(m) A mere scheme or rule or method of performing mental act or method of playing game;

3(n) A presentation of information

3(o) Topography of integrated circuits;

INVENTIONS RELATING TO ATOMIC ENERGY (S.4)

"No Patent shall be granted in respect of an invention relating to atomic energy falling within subsection (1) of section 20 of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962

Various types of Patent Applications in India

1. Ordinary application

2. Convention application

3. PCT international application

4. PCT National phase application

5. Application for Patent of addition

6. Divisional Application

Procedural requirements

An application for a patent in the prescribed form along with the prescribed fee has to be filed in the appropriate patent office. Examiners of patents scrutinize the application accompanied by a specification so that it satisfies the requirements. After examination, the Patent Office will raise objections and once the applicant convinces the Controller Of Patents will put the specification in the Official Gazette and on its acceptance without any controversy, a patent shall be granted.

A patent grant gives the patentee the exclusive right to make or use the patented article or use the patented process by preventing all others from making or using the patented article or using the patented process. The patentee can assign, grant licenses or deal for consideration.

The patent application passes through the following stages:

FILING

An application for a patent can be filed by the true and first inventor. It can also be filed the by the assignee or legal representative of the inventor. If an application is filed by the assignee, proof of assignment has to be submitted along with the application. The applicant can be national of any country.

Form of Application

Every application shall be accompanied by a provisional or complete specification. Provisional applications are generally filed at a stage where some experimentation is required to perfect the invention.

Filing of a provisional specification allows the applicant to get an early application date.

Provisional Specification shall contain:

a. Title,

b. Written Description,

c. Drawings, if necessary and

d. Sample or model if required.

The complete specification shall contain:

a. Title,

b. Abstract,

c. Written Description,

d. Drawings (where necessary),

e. Sample or Model (if required by the examiner),

f. Enablement and BestMode,

g. Claims and

h. Deposit (Microorganisms)

Priority Date

Priority date is the date of first filing allotted by the patent office to an application. If a provisional application is followed by a complete application, the priority date shall be date of filing of the provisional application. If an Indian application is filed after a foreign or PCT application, the priority date shall be the date of filing of the foreign or PCT application. If an application is divided into two applications, the priority date shall be date of filing of the parent application.

Priority date is the date of reference used by the patent to determine the newness of the invention. If the claimed invention is part of public knowledge before the priority date, it will not be eligible for a patent. Under US Law, priority date is pushed back to the date of conception for determining novelty and Non-obviousness.

Place of Filing

Patent Application can be filed at any of the four patent offices in India. Patent Offices are located at Kolkata, New Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai.

Documents to be submitted at the time of filing
The following documents have to be submitted at the time of filing a patent application:

Form 1 - Application for the grant of patent.

Form 2 - Provisional or Complete Specification.

Form 3 - Statement and undertaking by the applicant.

Form 5 - Declaration as to inventorship.

Form 26 - Authorization of patent agent or any other person.

Priority document details have to be filed for a Convention application.

PUBLICATION

A patent application will be published on expiry of eighteen months after the priority date. It can be published earlier, if such a request is made by the applicant. The application will not be published if directions are given for secrecy, until the term of those directions expires. It will also not be published if the application is withdrawn three months before publication date.

On publication, specification including drawings and deposits shall be open for public inspection. The rights of the patentee start from the date of publication but they cannot be enforced until after patent grant.

EXAMINATION

1. Request for Examination

The process of examination starts with a request for examination. The request has to be made within 36 months from the date of priority or filing. However, if secrecy directions have been given for the application, the request can be made six months after the directions are revoked or thirty six months from the date of priority or filing, if that date is later.

2. Examination

On receiving the request, the controller shall direct the patent application to the Examiner for examination. To start with, the examiner makes a formal examination by verifying the propriety and correctness of all documents filed with the application. Later, he verifies the patentability of the application. The patentability analysis includes all patentability requirements.

After confirming that the application falls within the scope of patentable subject matter, the examiner conducts a prior art search to check if there is prior art, which anticipates the invention claimed. Prior art search for anticipation includes search for anticipation by publication, filing of complete specification, etc. He then verifies the existence of inventive step, Industrial application, and Enablement and Best mode.

The examiner will give the examination report within 1 month from the date of reference by controller and that term shall not exceed three months. If the examination report is adverse, the controller sends a notice to the applicant and gives him an opportunity to correct and if necessary an opportunity of hearing. The Controller might ask the applicant to amend the application in order to proceed further. If the applicant does not make such changes, the application might be rejected.

The Controller has the power to divide the application, post date the application, substitute applicants and reject the application. An order of division will be given if the application contains more than one invention and if it is required to file separate applications for each invention. The application might be post dated to a period of six months if requested by the applicant. Substitution of inventors is generally done if the inventor has been wrongfully mentioned or if a joint inventor has not been mentioned in the application.

The controller has the power to reject the application, if the applicant does not comply with his requirements.

OPPOSITION

1. Pre-grant Opposition

Any person can file an opposition for grant of patent after the application has been published. Opposition may be filed on any of the following grounds:
a. Non compliance of patentability requirements.
b. Nondisclosure or Wrongful disclosure of genetic resources or traditional knowledge.

2. Post-grant Opposition

Any person can file an opposition within a period twelve months after the grant of a patent. It can be filed based on the following grounds:

a. Wrongful obtainment of the invention by the inventor.

b. Publication of the claimed invention before the priority date.

c. Sale or Import of the invention before the priority date.

d. Public use or display of the invention.

e. The invention doesn't satisfy the patentability requirements.

f. Disclosure of false information to patent office.

g. Application for the invention is not filed within twelve months from the date of convention application.

h. Nondisclosure or wrongful disclosure of the biological source.

i. Invention is anticipated by traditional knowledge.

3. Process of Opposition

On receiving a notice of opposition, the controller notifies the patentee. He then constitutes an Opposition board to deal with the opposition. The Opposition board decides the issues after giving reasonable opportunity of hearing to both the parties. The Opposition board might invalidate the patent, require amendments or maintain the status quo. If amendments are required, they have to be made within the prescribed period in order to maintain the patent.

E. GRANT

If the application satisfies all the requirements of the patent act, the application is said to be in order for grant. An application in order for grant shall be granted expeditiously. A granted patent shall be published in the official gazette and shall be open for public inspection. Every granted patent shall be given the filing date. The patent will be valid throughout India. A granted patent gives the patent holder the exclusive right to make, use, sell, offer for sale and import the product or use the process. However, the government can make use of the patent for its own purposes or for distributing an invention relating to medicine to hospitals and dispensaries. Furthermore, any person can make use of the patent for experiment or education.

Assignments

A patentee may assign the whole or any part of the patent rights to the whole of India or any part thereof. There are three kinds of assignments: legal assignment, equitable assignment and mortgages. An assignment of an existing patent is a legal assignment where the assignee may enter his name as the patent owner. A certain share given to another person is called an equitable assignment and a mortgage is when patent rights are wholly or partly transferred to obtain money.

Licenses

A patentee may, by a license, permit others to make, use, or exercise, the invention which otherwise would not be allowed. The license should be in writing and the terms of which must be given in the application filed with the Controller. A license maybe given in express terms or implied from the circumstances. An exclusive license excludes all other persons including the patentee from the use of invention In a limited license the limitation may arise as to persons, time, place, manufacture, use or sale.

Compulsory Licenses and Government use of inventions

Under certain circumstances like when reasonable requirements are not satisfied, a very high royalty is quoted, when a patent cannot work without another related patent or on notification by the Central government, the Controller can grant a license to an interested person.

The Central or State government can use for a purpose of its own all patented inventions or processes either with or without royalty.

Revocation of a patent

A patent may be revoked by various modes namely revocation in the public interest by the Government or relating to atomic energy by Controller. A patent may also be revoked for non-working. The High Court may revoke a patent on noncompliance with the requirements for use of an invention or on petition by a person interested on various specified grounds.

A patentee may at any time offer to surrender his patent by giving notice to the Controller, whom after hearing the parties may revoke the patent.

Patent enforcement and Infringement of patents

Infringement of a patent is the violation of the exclusive rights of the patentee.
Determination of infringement depends on the scope of exclusive rights of the patentee, whether the infringer's acts amount to making, using, selling or distributing a product or using a method and if in fact the acts amount to an infringement. The burden of proof is on the patent owner for proving infringement.

Defenses

The defendant in a suit for infringement may plead one or more defenses. He can claim the patent owner is not entitled to sue for infringement or deny any infringement. Any leave or license express or implied to use the invention does not amount to infringement and where infringement is invalid on certain grounds.
Acts done in connection with government use, experiment, research, education and falling within the scope of innocent infringement or done after failure to pay renewal fee or before the date of amendment of the specification do not amount to infringement. A defendant may also counter claim for revocation of patent.

Remedies

Injunctions act as a preventive relief to the patentees. The patent owner at the start of a trial can request for an interim injunction in order to restrain the infringer from continuing the infringement to prevent further losses. Permanent injunction is given based on the merits of the case at the end of the trial. A patent owner is entitled to the relief of damages as compensation to the patentee and not punishment to the infringer. The patent owner may also opt for the account of profits where he has to prove use of invention and the amount of profit derived from such illegal use.

Riforma del condominio: ecco le principali novità.

Amministratore: cambio difficile.

Il nuovo amministratore può rivolgersi al giudice per la consegna della documentazione da parte del precedente amministratore, anche senza autorizzazione dell'assemblea, trattandosi di atto diretto alla tutela degli interessi dei condomini nel loro insieme, compreso fra le sue attribuzioni previste dall'articolo 1130 del Codice civile ( Tribunale di Biella, ordinanza del 13/11/2006 ). 

Fonte: Avv. Germano Palmieri de Corriereconomia

One Difference between Law and Politics

To me, education is not just the matter of financial livelihood and social status, but why education is needed? Whether the provided education is authentic, what the lacks or loopholes of education are and to the final stage: would education make the absorbers immortal? These are some of the questions and rhetoric that make me view education very differently from those of my peers and even my parents and lecturers.

Law and Politics are usually confused with one another and cannot be meticulously separated from each other; as we usually hear the Faculty of Law and Politics, Center for Political and Legal Tuition, Professor of Law and Politics, etc. These are the facts that initiate me an idea to bring the core difference between Law and Politics and put it on a public display. The core difference would help the student to deeper understand the subject matters.

Do you have such the wonder? If no, start to make yourself curious about the core difference between Law and Politics to initiate your mental vocation and if yes, this is an article to unveil you a unique difference between Law and Politics to make you deeply understand.

As a student of Law, newspaper columnist, expert author, media liaison officer, legal and political assistant, I have found one complete differences between Law and Politics. This difference is "the interpretation."

Most students of Law and Politics do not know that the most important theme of their education is "the interpretation." Why I dare to say this? Up to the present, we have billions of sources ranking from books and international media publication to the abstract sources, but these so-called information will not make us a true political analyst or lawyer.

What we are seeing on these sources is just "plain information", so what are these information are. If information is just all about information, University is not needed, because most of these sources are available everywhere and even free. The things that we have not found on these sources are "the interpretation" or the path to interpretational secretes. Let's now jump up to the very core of our article.

Legal interpretation must be "within": in interpreting the law, the lawyer of any party or the conflicting parties themselves cannot interpret the law out of the law being enforced in the country where the trial is being heard. This may seem very vague and let us bring an example to clarify. If you commit or are accused of committing a crime in the country in which you are residing in, you or your lawyer are not entitled to interpret the law out of the laws being enforced in your residing country. To a stricter extent, the laws being used for interpretation must circumnavigate the crime that you did or are accused of committing. This case is different from "political interpretation."

Law and Politics may be equally broad, but interpretation in politics is much broader than in legal one. Have you ever noticed that a political analyst for a university in America would use approach in political interpretation by drawing examples from any country, any sources and any celebrities in the world. Political interpretation (analysis) is not as "within" as in law.

Politics is much more flexible and so much softer than law. Other merits why politics allow much broader interpretation, because we even see a huge similarities between socialist and capitalist states (similar political application), but the laws in these two separate kinds of state are totally different. I know the last one sentence is too vague for you, but let's start the legal and political interpretation.

Basta con i cani che abbaiano, adesso i proprietari rischiano il carcere.

Corte di Cassazione, Sez. I Pen., sentenza del 9 febbraio 2011 4706.

Non conta quale fosse l'animale a dare il "via" al coro, cominciando a strepitare e suscitando l'emulazione degli altri (nella specie una decina di cani). Ciò che rileva è che i rispettivi proprietari, nonostante le proteste dei vicini, nulla facessero per impedire le molestie.

La Suprema Corte ha infatti condannato a due mesi di carcere ciascuno quattro siciliani di Nicosia colpevoli di non prendere provvedimenti per far tacere i loro cani che, in piena notte, facevano una gran 'cagnara'.

E’ stata bocciata la linea difensiva degli imputati: volevano indagini piu' approfondite che stabilissero quale cane aveva abbaiato per primo, dando il ‘via’ agli altri. Perchè, secondo loro, la colpa e la condanna doveva ricadere solo sul proprietario del cane colpevole di aver scatenato il fastidioso coro. Ma i supremi giudici hanno ritenuto del tutto ''irrilevante'' questo tipo di approfondimento investigativo dal momento che, dopo il primo acuto lanciato dal cane più attivo, gli altri ''abbaiavano tutti insieme'' determinando una ''forte intensità di rumore'' e uno ''strepito comune''.

E ancora, secondo i Giudici gli strepiti dei cani potevano essere agevolmente attenuati, o senz'altro evitati dai relativi proprietari. Inoltre, non si trattava di un occasionale latrato, ma di un abbaiare connotato da ''diffusivita''', per di più in ora notturna, che aveva determinato le proteste di numerose persone stanche di notti in bianco.

Adesso i quattro condannati devono anche pagare le spese del processo in Cassazione e versare 500 euro ciascuno alla Cassa delle Ammende.

Fonte: Condominioweb

Conciliazione con rinvio limitato.

È sempre l'ora dei colpi di scena sul fronte della conciliazione. Un nuovo emendamento al decreto «milleproroghe» presentato dal relatore giovedì sera cambia ancora le carte in tavola e fa slittare di un anno, al marzo 2012, l'entrata in vigore della mediazione obbligatoria solo per due materie, il condominio e gli incidenti stradali. Per tutte le altre materie la data resta quella del prossimo 20 marzo. L'emendamento è stato presentato dal relatore Lucio Malan del Pdl e, a questo punto, andrà a sostituire la versione del testo sul quale solo pochi giorni prima le commissioni del Senato avevano raggiunto un accordo per uno slittamento sempre di un anno più ampio e riguardante tutte le materie.

Levata di scudi da parte di tutte le rappresentanze dell'avvocatura. Il Presidente del Cnf, Guido Alpa, ha inviato giovedì al ministero della Giustizia una lettera nella quale si sottolinea che non sono disponibili le aule presso i Tribunali, non sono reclutabili i conciliatori nel numero e con la professionalità richiesta, e a causa delle difficoltà sollevate dalle compagnie di assicurazione non si è potuto ancora assicurare i rischi della nuova attività. Il Cnf scrive di apprezzare l'idea di ridurre l'impatto della mediazione obbligatoria per i due settori nei quali si registra il maggior contenzioso (condominio e circolazione stradale) e tuttavia, di fronte a questa oggettiva situazione di difficoltà, alla quale non si è ancora potuto porre rimedio, esclude che allo stato l'idea sia praticabile, visto che i problemi segnalati, rimarrebbero comunque per i settori in cui la mediazione è attivata.

Il presidente dell'Oua, Maurizio de Tilla, parla di «un colpo di mano: il ministro Alfano ha ceduto ai poteri forti e ad alcuni ambienti ministeriali e con un blitz ha violato le regole del procedimento legislativo, facendo approvare un inammissibile emendamento che smentisce il precedente emendamento approvato nelle Commissioni riunite martedì scorso. Il ministro così calpesta i diritti dei cittadini e si schiera contro l'avvocatura. La protesta unitaria degli avvocati sarà decisa».

Per Ester Perifano dell'Anf «si tratta di una forzatura inaccettabile sulla pelle dei cittadini: il rinvio è necessario non solo perché l'attuale disciplina sulla media conciliazione è in forte odore di incostituzionalità, ma anche perché non c'è l'organizzazione necessaria per partire, a pieno regime, con le nuove procedure». Perifano critica anche l'atteggiamento del ministro Alfano, «che si ostina a non tenere conto dei suggerimenti di chi, come gli avvocati, quelle norme dovranno applicarle per primi». A questo punto bisognerà valutare le future mosse del ministero della Giustizia che potrebbe essere comunque tentato dalla presentazione in aula, nell'ambito di un maxiemndamento sul quale porre la fiducia, di una versione ancora diversa che, al momento, sembra ancora la più gradita: uno slittamento cioè ancora più limitato nel tempo, solo 6 mesi, riguardante condomino e incidenti stradali che, comunque, da sole, rappresenterebbero circa il 50% dell'intera area della liti soggette a conciliazione.

Il nuovo slittamento

In commissione al Senato è stato approvato giovedì sera un emendamento del relatore al decreto «milleproroghe» che prevede uno slittamento di 12 mesi della conciliazione obbligatoria originariamente prevista per il 20 marzo nelle due sole materie del condominio e del risarcimento danni per gli incidenti stradali

La decisione precedente

Solo martedì era invece stato approvato un rinvio più ampio, sempre di 12 mesi ma riguardante tutte le materie interessate. Ora il Governo potrebbe presentare in Aula una nuova versione dello slittamento di soli 6 mesi e riguardante quelle sole 2 materie

Fonte: Giovanni Negri de Il Sole 24Ore

A Career In Law

Essential Abilities For A Career In Law

Very often, students enroll themselves into a law school without having a clear idea of what the profession is all about. Many are attracted by the title of lawyer and decide to pursue a degree in law without having proper knowledge of the career.

There are certain characteristics that one needs to have to succeed in a career in law. You should assess yourself before actually enrolling into any institution. To have a clear idea, you can visit local courts, attend trials, talk to lawyers and observe the functioning of the legal system. Observing lawyers and judges at work will enable you to identify some of the skills, knowledge and values necessary for a career in law. You can even get advice from a career counselor.

Law is the field for those:

o Having outstanding and above average independent learning skills such as reading, listening, writing, talking and analysis

o Having excellent verbal, public speaking, arguing and debating skills

o Having a high level of patience and confidence.

Before beginning the application process, consider carefully if a law degree is right for you based on these attributes. You may also need pre-law courses for admission to particular programs in law.

Preparing For Law School

The field should be explored through research, investigation of resources on the Internet, discussion with law students, and counseling. Joining some pre-law courses offered by various institutes will enable you to develop skills which will be helpful for law school, such as study of the English language and principles of accounting and finance. There are many branches in law practice such as tax law, corporate law, labor/employment law, civil law, family law, international law and real estate law among others. You need to be clear about your interests, which will help in choosing the appropriate program of study.

Applying to Law School

Information on law schools offering programs in law can be obtained with the help of education counselors or on the Internet by visiting law school websites which provide details of the programs on offer by them and the application process. The best sources are law school catalogs or reference books that profile law schools and their admissions criteria. The Law School Admissions Council ("LSAC") sponsors annual law forums throughout the country that give interested persons time to speak with representatives from accredited law schools.

Programs leading to the presentation of the Bachelor of Science in Law (B.S.L.), Juris Doctor (J.D.), Master of Laws (LL.M.) and Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) degrees are some of the common programs on offer by law schools.

American law schools are expensive, especially the private ones. The competition to get into top-rated law schools is tough. Applications are accepted based on an individual's grades.

Career Choices With A Law Degree: Job Or Business/Self-Practice:

A degree in law is extremely rewarding. It is very marketable and most lawyers manage to earn a comfortable living. A lawyer in the US can easily make more than $100,000 annually.

o Business/Self-Practice: You can have your own business setup such as a consultancy firm providing legal consultation and guidance to your clients, self-practice - legal representation in courts, drafting legal papers for clients or just having your own coaching classes.

o Job Market: You also have various options in the job market - teaching, working with law firms, and with companies and corporate bodies as legal advisors and attorneys. However, your legal qualifications alone will not help. You need to market yourself and your law degree to reap the benefits of all your hard work. You need to find the right job for yourself and then market yourself to secure the position.

A career in law is rewarding and worthwhile, provided you have the essential abilities and skills to pursue a career in law and the willingness to face the challenges ahead.

Private Law

What is law?

Law can affect many aspects of our lives yet most people living in England and Wales have little understanding of the legal system that operates in these two countries. For many their main awareness comes from newspaper articles with headlines such as Murderer jailed for life, Burglar caught in the act, Young offender goes free. This type of headline appears so frequently that it is not surprising that, when law is mentioned, many people only think of the criminal law and the courts that deal with this type of case. In reality, the law covers an enormous range of situations and the legal system in England and Wales has a variety of courts and methods for dealing with different types of cases.

International & National Law

International law is concerned with disputes between nations; much of this law comes from treaties which have been agreed by the governments of the countries. National Law is the law which applies within a country: Each country will have its own national law and there are often wide differences between the laws of individual countries. This can be shown by the fact that Scotland has its own law and legal system which are quite separate from the law and legal system which operates in England and Wales. For examples, while serious criminal cases are tired my jury in both systems, the Scottish jury has 15 members and the decision can be made by a simple majority of 8-7. In contrast, the jury in England and Wales has 12 members, at least 10 of whom must agree on the decision.

Public and Private law

Within national law there is usually a clear distinction between public and private law. Public law involves the state of government in some way, while private law is concerned with disputes between private individuals or businesses. Both public and private law can be sub-divided into different categories.

Company Law

Company law is very important in the business world: It regulates how a company should be formed, sets out formal rules for running companies, and deals with the rights and duties of shareholders and directors. Employment law covers all aspects of employment from the original formation of a contract of employment to situations of redundancy or unfair dismissal. As well as these areas of private law, there are also laws relating to land, to copyright and patents, to marine law and many other topics, so it can be seen that civil law covers a wide variety of situations.

Employment

Like any business, staff are needed to keep the business alive. But what happens when this gets ugly and termination of contracts come into the picture? This is an area in law where alternative dispute resolution has long been used in the shape of ACAS (Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service). When any claim is filed at an employment tribunal, a copy of that claim is sent to ACAS who will then contact the two parties involved and offer to attempt to resolve the dispute without the need for the matter to go to a tribunal. ACAS has specially trained conciliation officers who have a great deal of experience of employment disputes.

ANACI DAY 2011 - EXPO CONDOMINIO - DOTT.PIETRO MEMBRI.

Tutte le nuove regole in arrivo per il condominio. Rush finale per la riforma.

Prima avvertenza importante: la riforma del condominio per adesso si declina al futuro e al condizionale, perché per diventare legge deve ancora incassare il voto della Camera. Seconda avvertenza: nessuno può ignorare le novità in arrivo, perché riscrivono buona parte dei 23 articoli del codice civile dedicati al condominio. E perché in molti palazzi c'è già chi si presenta in assemblea con articoli e ritagli di giornale ammonendo tutti che «con le nuove regole si cambia...».

Il testo del disegno di legge votato due settimane fa – tra gli altri passaggi chiave – allunga da 12 a 24 mesi il mandato dell'amministratore, sancisce il diritto di vedere in qualsiasi momento le ricevute e le fatture alla base della contabilità condominiale e rende più facile votare in assemblea, aggirando il malcostume della scarsa partecipazione che spesso paralizza gli edifici più grandi. Per le deliberazioni ordinarie, oggi in seconda convocazione serve la maggioranza dei presenti, che rappresenti almeno un terzo dei condòmini e un terzo dei millesimi. Con la riforma, invece, basterà avere gli stessi millesimi, anche se la maggioranza dei votanti corrisponde a meno di un terzo dei condòmini.

In molti casi, infatti, la filosofia della riforma è stata proprio quella di tappare buchi e limare difetti delle vecchie norme approvate nel 1942. Qualche esempio? Oggi l'amministratore fatica a sapere con esattezza chi sono veramente i proprietari degli appartamenti, e spesso capita che decreti ingiuntivi indirizzati contro le persone sbagliate (o contro uno solo dei contitolari) si rivelino poi inefficaci. Per di più, in alcune sentenze i giudici hanno imposto all'amministratore di effettuare ricerche anagrafiche tanto accurate da risultare praticamente impossibili.

Con la riforma, invece, ogni variazione dei dati anagrafici, di recapito o catastali dovrà essere comunicata all'amministratore in forma scritta entro 60 giorni. Altrimenti, il recupero delle informazioni avverrà con spese a carico del condòmino interessato.

Un altro esempio: oggi chi vìola il regolamento condominiale può essere condannato a pagare al massimo 100 lire (100 lire!) perché l'importo indicato nel codice non è mai stato adeguato, e i giudici sono incerti persino sulla possibilità che un regolamento di tipo contrattuale (approvato da tutti o predisposto dal costruttore del palazzo) fissi sanzioni più alte. Con le nuove regole, la multa base sale a 100 euro, che possono diventare 1.000 in caso di recidiva. Inoltre, per la riscossione sarà possibile anche procedere con decreto ingiuntivo.

Il testo non ha incassato solo apprezzamenti, ma anche diverse critiche. Non è piaciuto in particolare, l'aumento delle responsabilità degli amministratori e, più in generale, la burocratizzazione di molti aspetti della vita condominiale. Si pensi, ad esempio, alla necessità di comunicare all'assemblea le opere o i cambi d'uso da eseguire sulle proprietà private.

Franco Mugnai (Pdl), relatore del provvedimento al Senato, saluta così la partenza del disegno di legge verso la Camera: «È un testo su cui lavoriamo da nove anni, contando anche le legislature precedenti. L'ampia condivisione ottenuta in aula al Senato mi fa sperare che i tempi possano essere brevi».

Alla Camera, però, c'è già un altro disegno di legge, presentato dall'onorevole Lino Duilio (Pd), che si discosta da quello del Senato in pochi punti, ma significativi. Tra questi, l'attribuzione al condominio della capacità giuridica, l'istituzione di un fondo di garanzia contro le malversazioni degli amministratori (alimentato con una percentuale sulle loro parcelle, si ipotizza il 4%) e la possibilità di deliberare a maggioranza anche la vendita delle parti comuni (e non solo la permuta o il cambio di destinazione d'uso, come nel testo votato dal Senato).

«Si dovrà decidere se partire dal testo che arriva dall'altro ramo del Parlamento o costituire un comitato ristretto che tenga conto dell'uno e dell'altro testo», spiega Duilio. In ogni caso, i tempi dovrebbero essere brevi. «Nel giro di un mese o un mese e mezzo – prosegue – la Camera potrebbe completare l'esame». Questo significa che, anche con un eventuale ritorno al Senato, la riforma potrebbe essere legge prima dell'estate. Su tutto pende, naturalmente, la sorte della legislatura, ma anche nel caso in cui la Camera non dovesse completare l'esame, il Ddl avrebbe comunque una corsia preferenziale nel prossimo Parlamento.

Fonte: Dell'Oste - S. Rezzonico - G. Tucci de Il Sole 24Ore

Non commette reato il condomino che rivolge pubblicamente critiche aspre all'amministratore inadempiente, definendolo "latitante".

Corte Suprema di Cassazione, V Sez. penale, sentenza n. 3372 del 31/01/2011.

Lo ha stabilito la Corte di cassazione che, con la sentenza n. 3372 del 31 gennaio 2011, ha confermato l'assoluzione in favore di una donna di Cagliari che aveva affisso nell’atrio del condominio un cartello con il seguente contenuto :

“abbiamo la facciata del palazzo che sta cadendo a pezzi; gli intonaci del balcone ci cadono dentro mettendo a rischio noi adulti e i bambini di alcuni di voi; le scale sono sporche, i muri sono neri, per la pulizia del giardino dobbiamo provvedere noi stessi, a chiamare qualcuno per farlo; paghiamo davvero tanto di condominio; ma noi non abbiamo un capocondominio che dovrebbe occuparsi di tutto ciò?; per chi non se lo ricordasse il suo nome è *********

; se non vi ricordate il suo nome, non siete voi che avete problemi di memoria, è luì che è latitante; però i soldi nostri se li prende e come ....per quello non è latitante vogliamo continuare così a farci prendere in giro, o cerchiamo una persona seria e competente?? personalmente voglio mandarlo via; personalmente mi sto informando su altri capocondomini; però ci vuole la maggioranza di voi per mandarlo via; quindi se la pensate come me informatevi anche voi su capocondomini di vostra conoscenza che siano persone serie e competenti".

Per la Cassazione: “il diritto di critica si differenzia da quello di cronaca essenzialmente in quanto il primo non si concretizza , come l'altro, nella narrazione di fatti, bensì nell’espressione di un giudizio o, più genericamente, di un’opinione che, come tale, non può pretendersi rigorosamente obiettiva, posto che la critica, per sua natura, non può che essere fondata su un’interpretazione, necessariamente soggettiva, di fatti e di comportamenti.

La scriminante in questione presuppone dunque, a differenza di quella del diritto di cronaca, un contenuto di veridicità più limitato; conformemente al diritto di cronaca, anche il diritto di critica trova l’ulteriore limite segnato dal rispetto dei criteri della rilevanza sociale della notizia e della correttezza delle espressioni usate.

In aderenza a tali principi il giudice di merito ha sottolineato che, nel caso in esame, l'imputata aveva rivolto delle critiche all'operato dell'amministratore dello stabile, per le gravi carenze di manutenzione che l'immobile presentava, invitando gli altri condomini - attraverso l'affissione del volantino - ad attivare i loro poteri di controllo sull’amministratore.

Con tale condotta l'imputata non solo ha esercitato il proprio diritto di libera manifestazione del proprio pensiero, ma ha anche esercitato lo specifico diritto, quale condomino dello stabile amministrato da ***** di controllare comportamenti dell'amministratore e di denunciarne eventuali riscontrate irregolarità. Le critiche all’operato dell'amministratore avevano come naturale destinatario gli altri condomini e, dunque, risulta rispettato il limite della rilevanza sociale della notizia e idoneo a tale diffusione è il luogo ove è stato affìsso il volantino.

Quanto al profilo della continenza pienamente condivisibile e non contraddittoria è la motivazione del provvedimento impugnato là dove ha ritenuto che le espressioni critiche usate dall’imputata non hanno mai determinato un’aggressione gratuita alla sfera morale della persona ***** , ma una censura soltanto delle attività (non) svolte come amministratore del condominio. In tale contesto la parola latitante è stata usata nell'accezione corrente di qualcuno che evita di farsi vedere onde non ottemperare ai suoi, doveri e compiti per i quali è preposto e pagato. E cioè proprio quelle omissioni che l'imputata criticamente riscontrava e denunciava nell'operato professionale.

 

Fonte: Condominioweb