St Louis Business Daily

Explains why the title to real property is permanent whereas some intellectual property is limited.?

Explain why the title to real property is permanent whereas some intellectual property is limited in the time it is protected.

Public Comments

1. Hmmm, tough question, but I think I have an answer. Real property is just that - it is real and tangible and it can be touched and seen. Intellectual property is harder because more than one person can have the same thought at the same time and it would be impossible to know who had the thought first. And if someone takes that thought and modifies it slightly, is it a new thought or should the original thought get the credit? Intellectual property is like trying to nail jello to the wall. Not saying it's fair, it just is what it is.
2. Real property is land, like the grass your house sits on. You pay money for it and then take title - or legal ownership - of it and then continue to own it for all of time. There is no reason for it to expire. You bought it. You own it. Intellectual property is not real property. It is a patent, a trademark or copyright and for patents, you don't really own anything but your own idea and invention. To promote people coming up with creative and helpful inventions, the government will give those who patent their ideas the right to keep anyone else from copying and selling a knock off of it for a certain time. Since the idea of patents was to get folks to invent things helpful to the world, you are protected and rewarded by getting all the profits from the sale of your product for seven years (or a different amt of time depending on what kind of invention it is). After that others can copy it or make generics of it. You are not losing title but rather getting a reward and perk from the government for coming up w/ a new idea. I hope that helps.
3. The title for real property is permanent because the object is permanent, and will pass through the owner's . Intellectual property is a trickier subject. For example, if a piece of intellectual property like