In [[law]], an '''abstract''' is a brief statement that contains the most important points of a long [[legal document]] or of several related legal papers.

==Abstract of Title==
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{{main|Abstract of title}}
The Abstract of Title, used in [[real estate]] transactions, is the more common form of abstract. An abstract of title lists all the owners of a piece of land, a house, or a building before it came into possession of the present owner. The abstract also records all [[deed]]s, [[will (law)|wills]], [[mortgage]]s, and other documents that affect [[ownership]] of the property. An abstract describes a chain of transfers from owner to owner and any agreements by former owners that are binding on later owners.

==Clear Title==
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A Clear Title to property is one that clearly states any obligation in the deed to the property. It reveals no breaks in the chain of legal ownership. After the records of the property have been traced and the title has been found clear, it is sometimes guaranteed, or insured. In a few states, a more efficient system of insuring title real properties provides for registration of a clear title with public authorities. After this is accomplished, no abstract of title is necessary.

== Patent law ==

In the context of [[patent]] law and specifically in [[prior art]] searches, searching through abstracts is a common way to find relevant prior art document to question to [[novelty (patent)|novelty]] or [[Inventive step and non-obviousness|inventive step]] (or [[Inventive step and non-obviousness|non-obviousness]] in [[United States]] patent law) of an invention. Under [[United States patent law]], the abstract may be called "Abstract of the Disclosure". <ref> [[United States Patent and Trademark Office]] (USPTO) web site, [http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/documents/0600_608_01_b.htm 608.01(b) Abstract of the Disclosure] </ref>

== Administrative process ==
Certain government bureaucracies, such as a ''department of motor vehicles'' will issue an '''abstract''' of a completed transaction or an updated record intended to serve as a proof of compliance with some administrative requirement. This is often done in advance of the update of reporting databases and/or the issuance of official documents.

== Notes ==
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==References==
* [[World Book]] encyclopedia 1988

==See also==
*[[Property abstract]]

== External links ==
* {{PCT Rule|8}}, defining the requirements regarding the abstract in an international application filed under [[Patent Cooperation Treaty]] (PCT)
* {{EPC Article|85}} and {{EPC Rule|47}} (previously {{EPC 1973 Rule|33}}), defining the abstract-related requirements in a [[European Patent Convention|European patent application]]

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[[Category:Legal research]]