Auto Accident Law 101

Ways To Prove That A Friend Stole Your Idea For An Invention

3 August 2018

Everett Cook

Inventing a product that you hope to start producing is an exciting time, and you may begin to feel a surge in momentum as you get closer to putting your product on the market. You'll quickly feel a decrease in your excitement, however, if you learn that a friend has started to produce something similar. Coincidences of this manner are rare, especially if you happened to tell the friend about your idea. In this difficult situation, you'll want to quickly hire a patent attorney and take legal action so that your friend will cease and desist. Here are some ways to prove that your friend stole your idea.

Copies Of Emails/Texts

Try to dig up any emails or text messages in which you and your friend discussed your invention idea. Your friend's defense to your legal action will likely be to say that you never told him or her about the idea, so hard evidence in the form of emails or texts will prove otherwise. Make copies of these important examples and share them with your attorney. You should especially look for those in which your friend clearly demonstrates a knowledge of your idea — for example, him or her writing, "Thanks for showing me your invention idea."

In-Home Camera Footage

Perhaps you have a security system that has cameras inside your residence. If you had your friend over to talk about your invention and the cameras were recording, see if you can find this footage in the hard drive. The evidence can work well in your favor if you can isolate clips in which you're clearly showing a prototype of your idea to your friend. His or her attorneys will have a hard time suggesting that your friend wasn't privy to your invention when your attorney presents this evidence.

Help From Those Who Were Present

When you have an idea for an invention, you'll often keep it secret from most of the people you know but entrust it to a select group. When you told your idea to the friend who has since taken steps to copy it, it's possible that other people were present. Your attorney will ask to speak to these individuals and get them to provide written statements that explain your friend did indeed know about your invention and/or see a prototype. Armed with these valuable pieces of evidence, your patent attorney may have enough to take appropriate legal action against your friend on your behalf.

Contact a company like Lingbeck Law Office for more information.

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