(1) The Federal Patent Court is to be established as a separate and independent federal court to take decisions on appeals from the decisions of the examining sections or Patent Divisions at the German Patent and Trade Mark Office, as well as on actions for the revocation of patents and in compulsory licence proceedings (sections 81, 85 and 85a). Its seat is at the seat of the German Patent and Trade Mark Office. Its German designation is ʻBundespatentgerichtʼ.
(2) The Federal Patent Court is composed of a President, the presiding judges and further judges. They must be qualified under the terms of the German Judiciary Act to hold judicial office (legally qualified members) or have expertise in a field of technology (technically qualified members). Section 26 (3) applies accordingly to the technically qualified members, with the proviso that they must have passed a state or academic final examination.
(3) The judges are appointed for life by the Federal President, unless otherwise provided in section 71.
(4) The President of the Federal Patent Court exercises disciplinary supervision over the judges, civil servants, employees and workers.