(a) Filing deadline. (1) For an appeal under 35 U.S.C. 141. The notice of appeal filed pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 142 must be filed with the Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office no later than sixty-three (63) days after the date of the final Board decision. Any notice of cross-appeal is controlled by Rule 4(a)(3) of the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure, and any other requirement imposed by the Rules of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
(1) For an appeal under 35 U.S.C. 141. The notice of appeal filed pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 142 must be filed with the Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office no later than sixty-three (63) days after the date of the final Board decision. Any notice of cross-appeal is controlled by Rule 4(a)(3) of the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure, and any other requirement imposed by the Rules of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
(2) For a notice of election under 35 U.S.C. 141(d). The time for filing a notice of election under 35 U.S.C. 141(d) is governed by 35 U.S.C. 141(d).
(3) For a civil action under 35 U.S.C. 145 or 146. (i) A civil action must be commenced no later than sixty-three (63) days after the date of the final Board decision.
(i) A civil action must be commenced no later than sixty-three (63) days after the date of the final Board decision.
(ii) The time for commencing a civil action pursuant to a notice of election under 35 U.S.C. 141(d) is governed by 35 U.S.C. 141(d).
(b) Time computation. (1) Rehearing. A timely request for rehearing will reset the time for appeal or civil action to no later than sixty-three (63) days after action on the request. Any subsequent request for rehearing from the same party in the same proceeding will not reset the time for seeking judicial review, unless the additional request is permitted by order of the Board.
(1) Rehearing. A timely request for rehearing will reset the time for appeal or civil action to no later than sixty-three (63) days after action on the request. Any subsequent request for rehearing from the same party in the same proceeding will not reset the time for seeking judicial review, unless the additional request is permitted by order of the Board.
(2) Holidays. If the last day for filing an appeal or civil action falls on a Federal holiday in the District of Columbia, the time is extended pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 21(b).
(c) Extension of time. (1) The Director, or his designee, may extend the time for filing an appeal, or commencing a civil action, upon written request if:
(1) The Director, or his designee, may extend the time for filing an appeal, or commencing a civil action, upon written request if:
(i) Requested before the expiration of the period for filing an appeal or commencing a civil action, and upon a showing of good cause; or
(ii) Requested after the expiration of the period for filing an appeal of commencing a civil action, and upon a showing that the failure to act was the result of excusable neglect.
(2) The request must be filed as provided in Sec. 104.2 of this title.
INDEX III_RULES RELATING TO PRACTICE BEFORE THE PATENT AND TRADEMARK
OFFICE
Editorial Note: This listing is provided for informational purposes only. It is compiled and kept current by the Department of Commerce. This index is updated as of July 1, 2015.
Section
A Address change.....................................................11.11Advertising.......................................11.701, 11.702, 11.703Agreements restricting practice...................................11.506Aliens...........................................11.6, 11.7, 11.9, 11.14Applicant for patent, representation of......................1.31, 11.10Applicant for trademark, representation of..........................2.11Attorneys, recognition of to practice in trademark cases...........11.14Attorneys, registration of to practice in patent cases.......11.6, 11.7,
11.9
B Breach of trust...................................................11.804Business transactions or relations with client....................11.108
C Candidate for judicial office.....................................11.802Certificate of mailing........................................1.8, 11.18Circumventing a disciplinary rule.................................11.804Rules of Professional Conduct..............................11.101-11.901Committee on Discipline........................11.2, 11.22, 11.23, 11.32Communicating with person having adverse interest........11.401, 11.402,
11.403Communications concerning practitioner's service.........11.701, 11.702,
11.703, 11.704Compensation for legal services...........................11.105, 11.108Competence................................................11.101, 11.103Complaint instituting disciplinary proceedings..............11.32, 11.34Concealment of material information...............................11.804Conduct in proceeding before Office...............................11.303Conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice..............11.804Conflict of interest......................11.107, 11.108, 11.110, 11.111Conviction of criminal offense........................11.7, 11.19, 11.25
D Deceit............................................................11.804Decisions of the USPTO Director.............................11.56, 11.57Definitions:Agent...............................................................11.6Attorney............................................................11.1Director of Enrollment and Discipline...............................11.1Grievance...........................................................11.1Fraud...............................................................11.1Law firm............................................................11.1Lawyer..............................................................11.1Office..............................................................11.1 Partner.............................................................11.1Person..............................................................11.1Practitioner........................................................11.1Proceeding before the Office........................................11.1Registration........................................................11.1Respondent.........................................................11.34State...............................................................11.1Tribunal...........................................................11.11Writing.............................................................11.1United States.......................................................11.1Designation as registered attorney or agent.......................11.704Direct contact with prospective clients...........................11.703Director of Enrollment and Discipline...............................11.2Review of decisions of the Director.................................11.2Disbarment from practice on ethical grounds..................11.7, 11.19Discharge of attorney or agent by client..........................11.116Disciplinary Proceedings and Investigations:Administrative Procedures Act........................11.32, 11.39, 11.44Amendment of complaint.............................................11.45Amendment of pleadings.............................................11.45Answer to complaint................................................11.36Appeal of initial decision of Hearing officer......................11.55Burden of proof....................................................11.49Certificate of mailing........................................1.8, 11.41Complaint..........................................................11.34Contested case.....................................................11.38Deliberations of Committee on Discipline...........................11.23Discovery (see also Discovery in Disciplinary Proceedings).........11.52Exception to ruling................................................11.50Filing papers after complaint filed................................11.41Hearing officer....................................................11.39Hearings before hearing officer....................................11.44Initial decision of hearing officer.........................11.39, 11.54Instituting a disciplinary proceeding..............................11.32Investigations of violations of disciplinary rules...........11.2, 11.22Notice of suspension or exclusion of practitioner..................11.59Objections to evidence.............................................11.50Post hearing memorandum............................................11.53Pre-hearing statement..............................................11.52Reinstatement of suspended or excluded practitioner................11.60Reprimand of registered attorney or agent...................11.20, 11.59Resignation of practitioner........................................11.11Review of decision denying reinstatement of practitioner............11.2Review of interlocutory orders by Administrative Law Judge.........11.39Review of USPTO Director's final decision..........................11.57Savings clause....................................................11.901Service of complaint...............................................11.35Settlement of complaint............................................11.26Stay pending review of interlocutory order.........................11.39Discourteous conduct..............................................11.804Discovery in Disciplinary Proceedings:Copying of documents...............................................11.52Depositions..........................................11.39, 11.50, 11.51Evidence....................................................11.50, 11.52Impeachment........................................................11.52Inspection of documents............................................11.52Interrogatories....................................................11.52Motions filed with hearing officer..........................11.43, 11.52 Privileged information.............................................11.52Undue delay in proceedings.........................................11.52Division of legal fees............................................11.105Duress, use of............................................11.703, 11.804
E Employee testimony. (See Testimony by Office employee)Employment:Declining or terminating representation...........................11.116Failure to carry out contract.....................................11.103Refusing employment...............11.107, 11.108, 11.109, 11.110, 11.307Withdrawal from employment.......11.107, 11.108, 11.109, 11.110, 11.116,
11.307Exception to ruling................................................11.50Excessive legal fees..............................................11.105Exclusion of practitioner............................11.20, 11.27, 11.58
F Failure to disclose material fact with regard to registration.....11.801Failure to notify client..................................11.104, 11.804False accusations.........................................11.401, 11.804False statements concerning officials.............11.401, 11.802, 11.804Fees:In general..........................................................1.21Petition to review decision of Director of Enrollment and Discipline..........................................................11.2Registration........................................................11.8Registration examination............................................11.7Reinstatement......................................................11.11Fees for legal services...........................................11.105Firm name, use of.................................................11.705Fitness to practice before the Office.....................11.803, 11.804Foreigners.......................................11.6, 11.7, 11.9, 11.14Former Patent and Trademark Office employees.........11.7, 11.10, 11.111Fraud or inequitable conduct.....11.102, 11.106, 11.116, 11.303, 11.401,
11.804Funds of client, preserving identity of...................11.105, 11.115
G Gift, improperly bestowing........................................11.108Government employees, registration of to practice in patent cases
11.10, 11.111
I Illegal conduct involving moral turpitude...................11.7, 11.804Illegal fees for services.........................................11.105Improper alteration of patent application.........................11.804Improper execution of oath or declaration.........................11.804Improper influence........................................11.305, 11.804Improper signature.................................................11.18Incompetence..............................................11.101, 11.103Independent professional judgment, exercise of...11.107, 11.108, 11.109,
11.110, 11.307, 11.504Individual unqualified in respect to character, education, etc.....11.7,
11.7, 11.801Influence by others than client..........11.107, 11.108, 11.109, 11.110,
11.307, 11.504Information precluding registration, failure to disclose....11.7, 11.801Initial decision of Administrative Law Judge................11.39, 11.54Integrity and competence of the legal profession, maintaining of
11.801Interest in litigation or proceeding before Office, acquiring of
11.108 Investigations of violations of disciplinary rules..................11.2
J Judicial office, candidate for....................................11.802
L Legal Fees:Division of.......................................................11.105Failure to pay....................................................11.116Sharing of........................................................11.105Letterheads, use of...............................................11.705Limited recognition to practice in patent cases.....................11.9
M Malpractice, limiting client's liability..........................11.108Materially false statements in application for registration.......11.801Misappropriation of funds.................................11.804, 11.115Misconduct........................................................11.804Misrepresentations..................................11.7, 11.701, 11.804Multiple employment.......................11.107, 11.108, 11.109, 11.110
N Neglecting legal matters..........................11.101, 11.103, 11.104Non-practitioner, formation of partnership with...........11.117, 11.504Notice of suspension or exclusion..................................11.59
O Oath requirement....................................................11.8Officials, contact with...........................................11.305
P Petitions:Fees in general.....................................................1.21Reinstatement......................................................11.60Review decision of USPTO Director..................................11.57Review decision of Director of Enrollment and Discipline............11.2Suspension of rules.................................................11.3Practitioner responsibilities.............................11.501, 11.502Preserve secrets and confidence of client.................11.106, 11.118Pro-se applicant..............................................1.31, 2.11Professional impropriety, avoiding appearance of...1.110, 11.111, 11.112Property of client................................................11.115Proprietary interest in subject matter............................11.108Publication...................................11.11, 11.35, 11.59, 11.60
R Recognition to Practice Before the Patent and Trademark Office:Agents..............................................., 11.6, 11.7, 11.14Aliens...........................................11.6, 11.7, 11.9, 11.14Attorneys..............................................11.6, 11.7, 11.14Change of address, requirement to notify Director..................11.11Person not suspended or excluded....................................11.2Suspended or excluded practitioner.................................11.60Examination of registration in patent cases.........................11.7 Examination fee.....................................................11.7Foreigners.......................................11.6, 11.7, 11.9, 11.14Former Patent and Trademark Office employees.........11.7, 11.10, 11.111Government employees.......................................11.10, 11.111Limited recognition in patent cases.................................11.9Non-lawyers, recognition in trademark cases........................11.14Patent cases...........................................11.6, 11.9, 11.10Recognition for representation.........................1.34, 2.17, 11.14Recognition to practice..........................11.6, 11.7, 11.9, 11.14Refusal to recognize practitioner..................................11.15Register of attorneys and agents in patent cases....................11.5Registration fee....................................................11.8Registration number................................................11.11Removal of attorneys and agents from the register..................11.11Representation by registered attorney or agent in patent cases......1.31Requirements for registration.......................................11.7Review of Director's decision refusing registration.................11.2Trademark cases....................................................11.14Unauthorized representation by an agent.........., 11.10, 11.505, 11.704Records, property and funds of client, maintaining of.............11.115Reinstatement after removal from the register................11.2, 11.11Reinstatement of suspended or excluded non-practitioner............11.60Reporting professional misconduct.................................11.803Representing client within bounds of the law.....11.102, 11.301, 11.302,
11.303, 11.304, 11.401, 11.404Reprimand of registered attorney or agent..........................11.20Resignation........................................................11.11Revocation of power of attorney in trademark case...................2.19
S Safekeeping of property...........................................11.115Scandalous statements, making of..................................11.804Secrets and confidence, preservation of clients...................11.106Service of papers..................................................11.42Service of process:Acceptance of service of process...........................11.42, 104.12DefinitionScope and purpose.................................................104.11Settlement of claims of clients...................................11.108Sharing legal fees........................................11.105, 11.504Signature and certificate of practitioner..........................11.18Solicitation......................................................11.703Statement concerning officials, making false..............11.401, 11.804Suspension of practitioner.............11.11, 11.20, 11.24, 11.25, 11.58Suspension of rules.................................................11.3
T Testimony of Office employees:Definition.........................................................104.1General rule......................................................104.21Office policy.....................................................104.22Proceedings involving the United States...........................104.23Production of documents...........................................104.22Scope.............................................................104.11Subpoena of Office employees.......................................104.2Threats, use of...................................................11.804Trial Publicity...................................................11.306
U Unauthorized practice......................11.14, 11.505, 11.701, 11.704Undignified conduct.......................................11.303, 11.304
V Violating duty of candor and good faith...........11.106, 11.303, 11.804Violation of disciplinary rule, misconduct........................11.804
W Withdrawal from employment........................................11.116Witnesses.................................................11.304, 11.307
Z Zealously representing the client.................11.102, 11.103, 11.404
SUBCHAPTER B_ADMINISTRATION
PARTS 100 101 [RESERVED]