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DOC/PTO RIN: 0651-AD40 Publication ID: Spring 2020 
Title: PTAB Rules of Practice for Instituting on All Challenged Patent Claims and All Grounds and Eliminating the Presumption at Institution Favoring Petitioner as to Testimonial Evidence 
Abstract:

The United States Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO” or "Office”) proposes changes to the rules of practice for instituting review on all challenged claims or none in inter partes review ("IPR”), post-grant review ("PGR”), and the transitional program for covered business method patents ("CBM”) proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board ("PTAB” or "Board”) in accordance with SAS Institute Inc. v. Iancu, 138 S. Ct. 1348 (2018).  In light of SAS, the Office also proposes changes to the rules of practice for instituting a review on all grounds of unpatentability for the challenged claims that are asserted in a petition.  Additionally, the Office proposes changes to the rules to conform to the current standard practice of providing sur-replies to principal briefs and providing that a patent owner response and reply may respond to a decision on institution. The Office further proposes a change to eliminate the presumption that a genuine issue of material fact created by the patent owner’s testimonial evidence filed with a preliminary response will be viewed in the light most favorable to the petitioner for purposes of deciding whether to institute a review.

 
Agency: Department of Commerce(DOC)  Priority: Substantive, Nonsignificant 
RIN Status: Previously published in the Unified Agenda Agenda Stage of Rulemaking: Proposed Rule Stage 
Major: No  Unfunded Mandates: No 
EO 13771 Designation: Not subject to, not significant 
CFR Citation: 37 CFR 42   
Legal Authority: 35 U.S.C. 2(b)(2), 6,21, 23, 41, 135, 311, 312, 316, and 321-326    Pub. L. 112-29, 125 Stat. 284    Pub. L. 112-274, 126 Stat. 2456   
Legal Deadline:  None
Timetable:
Action Date FR Cite
NPRM  05/27/2020  85 FR 31728   
NPRM Comment Period End  06/26/2020 
Final Action  10/00/2020 
Final Action Effective  11/00/2020 
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No  Government Levels Affected: None 
Small Entities Affected: No  Federalism: No 
Included in the Regulatory Plan: No 
RIN Data Printed in the FR: No 
Agency Contact:
Scott Weidenfeller
Vice Chief Administrative Patent Judge
Department of Commerce
Patent and Trademark Office
600 Dulany Street,
Alexandria, VA 22313
Phone:571 272-9797
Fax:571 273-9797
Email: scott.weidenfeller@uspto.gov