Do I Have to Have a Patent Search Done Before Filing a Patent Application?

A search and opinion is not required by law or by our firm, but it is strongly suggested. Without the search and opinion, the patentability and scope of an invention cannot be determined and what the applicant would be entitled to receive, in terms of patent scope, would be a wild guess. A mistake in the scope of a patent application (what is claimed in the application to be essential to the invention) can easily lead to a complete loss of any patent rights. No prior searching is a prescription for an expensive failure.