In law, a valid claim or colorable claim is a claim that is strong enough to have a reasonable chance of being determined both valid based upon its being sufficiently supported by law and provable fact to be plausibly proved in court.[1]
Valid claim is used in a number of different contexts in Federal law.
Within the area of United States patent law, a valid claim is a claim of an issued and unexpired, legally enforceable patent.[2]
Under US bankruptcy law, a creditor must have a valid claim in order to attend the creditors' meeting and to collect all or part of a debt.
A valid claim is used to describe beneficial interest in antiquities under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) of 1990.[3]
A lien must be based on a valid claim. Under Texas law, a mechanic's lien must have a valid basis.[4] Under New York law, a lis pendens, or notice of pendency of a claim against real property, must be valid, such as a pending divorce lawsuit. Under the laws of most US states, a claim against an estate must be proven or validated.[5]