View Rule

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) is proposing to amend the rules of practice to require a request for ex parte reexamination to include a statement by a third party requester identifying all real parties in interest to the ex parte reexamination request. Upon request, this statement would be kept confidential. This proposed requirement would provide the Office with a mechanism to effectively and efficiently evaluate statutory estoppel provisions and enhance the Office’s ability to respond to false certifications, misrepresentations, and fraud.