In re Silver

Dissenting Opinion by

Justice Evans

In this original proceeding, relator Andrew Silver asks the Court to recognize that a client’s communications with his registered patent agent, made to facilitate the agent’s provision of authorized legal services to the client, are privileged under rule 503 of the Texas Rules of Evidence. Based on this premise, Silver requests mandamus relief from the trial court’s order compelling Silver to produce 300 communications with his registered patent agent. Because the United States Supreme Court has recognized that a non-lawyer, registered patent agent is…