BOARD OF APPEALS

Board of Appeals.Patents & trademarks. Hist. A quasi-judicial body within the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that was empowered to hear appeals by applicants whose patent applications had been wholly or partially rejected by patent examiners. • Its work is now done by the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences. See BOARD OF PATENT APPEALS AND INTERFERENCES. BOARD OF DIRECTORS

board of directors. 1. The governing body of a corporation, elected by the shareholders to establish corporate policy, appoint executive officers, and make major business and financial decisions. — Also termed (esp. in charitable organizations) board of trustees. See DIRECTOR. [Cases: Corporations  297. C.J.S. Corporations §§ 460–461.] 2. The governing body of a corporation, partnership, association, or other organization, elected by the shareholders or members to establish policy, elect or appoint officers and committees, and make other governing decisions. — Often shortened (informally) to board. — Also termed board of governors; board of managers; board of trustees (esp. in charitable organizations); executive board. See DIRECTOR. staggered board of directors.A board of directors whose members’ terms of service overlap so that only part of the board’s makeup is voted on in any single election. • Typically, members serve terms of two or more years, with some members’ terms expiring at each annual election. See Del. Code Ann. tit. 8, § 141 (1991) (authorizing classified boards with two or three classes having two- or three-year terms). — Also termed classified board of directors. [Cases: Corporations  291.

C.J.S. Corporations §§ 450–451.][Blacks Law 8th]