OPPOSITION

opposition. 1.Patents. An action or procedure by which a third party can request a patent application’s refusal or an issued patent’s annulment. • Most countries allow opposition in some form. 2.Trademarks. A procedure by which a third party can contest an application to place a proposed trademark on the Principal Register before the placement occurs. Cf. CANCELLATION. [Cases: Trade Regulation  216. C.J.S. Trade-Marks, Trade-Names, and Unfair Competition §§ 181–182, 184–187.] OPPRESSION

oppression. 1. The act or an instance of unjustly exercising authority or power. 2. An offense consisting in the abuse of discretionary authority by a public officer who has an improper motive, as a result of which a person is injured. • This offense does not include extortion, which is typically a more serious crime. [Cases: Officers and Public Employees  121. C.J.S. Officers and Public Employees §§ 329–334.] 3.Contracts. Coercion to enter into an illegal contract. • Oppression is grounds for the recovery of money paid or property transferred under an illegal contract. See DURESS; UNCONSCIONABILITY. [Cases: Contracts  138(3), 139. C.J.S. Contracts §§ 280–283, 286, 290, 299.] 4.Corporations. Unfair treatment of minority shareholders (esp. in a close corporation) by the directors or those in control of the corporation. — Also termed (in sense 4) shareholder oppression. See FREEZE-OUT. [Cases: Corporations  182.3, 597. C.J.S.

Corporations §§ 344, 826.] — oppress,vb. — oppressive,adj.

[Blacks Law 8th]