The RegistryCounty Record · California

Intellectual Property Attorneys in Stanislaus County, California

Counsel for what you invent, write, and brand. In Stanislaus County, that work runs through the Superior Court of California, County of Stanislaus. This directory presents intellectual property records from official State Bar of California data in neutral order.

A food-processing and agricultural county at the Valley's center, with calendars heard in downtown Modesto and a new courthouse in progress. Venue for most intellectual property matters arising in the county lies with the Superior Court of California, County of Stanislaus, seated at Modesto.

Before comparing counsel, note the clock. Under 17 U.S.C. § 507(b), the governing period is three years for copyright claims; trade secret claims run three years (Cal. Civ. Code § 3426.6). Patent damages reach back six years (35 U.S.C. § 286). Trademark claims under the Lanham Act borrow analogous state periods and are shaped by laches.

This page is the Stanislaus County chapter of the registry's statewide record — Intellectual Property Lawyers in California collects all 58 counties.

The clock & the court

Statute of limitations

Three years for copyright claims; trade secret claims run three years (Cal. Civ. Code § 3426.6).

17 U.S.C. § 507(b)

Patent damages reach back six years (35 U.S.C. § 286). Trademark claims under the Lanham Act borrow analogous state periods and are shaped by laches.

Court of record

Superior Court of California, County of Stanislaus.

County seat: Modesto

Official court information, locations, and filing rules: www.stanct.org

Intellectual Property · Stanislaus County roster

8 attorneys on the official State Bar of California roll list intellectual property among their practice areas with an address of record in Stanislaus County.

The roster concentrates in Modesto (6), morgan Hill (1) and Patterson (1).

Admission years on this roster run from 1977 to 2024.

The employers most represented here are E. & J. Gallo Winery (2).

Paul Davis

Intellectual Property · morgan Hill

Bar #74307 · Admitted 1977

Official record

Kellian H. Dowd

Business Litigation · Modesto

Bar #208372 · Admitted 2000

Official record

Alexis K. Garcha

Business Litigation · Modesto

Bar #233881 · Admitted 2004

Official record

Robert G. McCoy

Business Litigation · Modesto

Bar #164218 · Admitted 1993

Official record

Valery R. Polyakov

Business Litigation · Modesto

Bar #305431 · Admitted 2015

Official record

Kristi W. Whalen

Intellectual Property · Modesto

Bar #206049 · Admitted 2000

Official record

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Intellectual Property questions, cited

Do I need to register a copyright to be protected?

Protection attaches automatically when an original work is fixed in tangible form (17 U.S.C. § 102), but registration is required before a U.S. author can file an infringement suit (17 U.S.C. § 411, confirmed in Fourth Estate v. Wall-Street.com (2019) 586 U.S. 296), and timely registration unlocks statutory damages up to $150,000 for willful infringement and attorney fees (17 U.S.C. §§ 412, 504–505).

What is the difference between a trademark, copyright, and patent?

A trademark protects brand identifiers — names, logos, slogans — in commerce (15 U.S.C. § 1051 et seq.); rights arise from use and strengthen with federal registration. A copyright protects original creative works (17 U.S.C. § 102). A patent protects inventions for roughly 20 years from filing (35 U.S.C. § 154) and only a registered patent attorney or agent may prosecute applications before the USPTO.

How are trade secrets protected in California?

Under the California Uniform Trade Secrets Act (Cal. Civ. Code § 3426 et seq.) and the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act (18 U.S.C. § 1836): information with independent economic value from secrecy, subject to reasonable protection efforts, is enforceable against misappropriation. Claims run three years from discovery (Civ. Code § 3426.6). California pairs this with a strong ban on employee non-competes (Bus. & Prof. Code § 16600).

Does my employer own what I invent or create in California?

Work created within the scope of employment is generally the employer's (17 U.S.C. § 201(b) for copyrights; invention-assignment agreements for patents). But Cal. Lab. Code § 2870 voids assignment provisions reaching inventions developed entirely on your own time without employer equipment or trade secrets, unless they relate to the employer's business or your work — a protection unique to a handful of states.

What should I do if someone is infringing my trademark or copying my work?

Document the infringement, confirm your registrations are in order, and act promptly — remedies favor diligent owners, and laches can bar delayed claims. Options range from DMCA takedown notices for online copies (17 U.S.C. § 512) and cease-and-desist letters to federal suits seeking injunctions and damages (15 U.S.C. § 1116–1117 for trademarks; 17 U.S.C. §§ 502–505 for copyrights).

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From the answer files

Intellectual Property by city in Stanislaus County

Related counsel in Stanislaus County

Intellectual Property in nearby counties

Source: 17 U.S.C. § 507(b) · State Bar of California licensee records · Checked: · Maintained by the California Attorney Registry from official State Bar of California records. Legal information, not legal advice.

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