# First-to-file

The rule, adopted in the U.S. by the America Invents Act, that when two people independently invent the same thing the patent goes to whoever filed first, not whoever invented first. It makes the filing date critical.

**Full entry:** https://patentbrief.org/glossary/first-to-file

**All patent terms:** https://patentbrief.org/glossary

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. A plain-English glossary of US patent terms._