Patent Law

The PTO is asking whether these numbers are accurate under the newly finalized Appeal Brief rules. (This will impact whether the Whitehouse allows the new rules to be implemented). Comments are due by August 9, 2008, to Susan Fawcett (Susan.Fawcett@uspto.gov), who will in turn be required to provide them to OMB. 

The numbers above include “the time to gather the necessary information, prepare the briefs, petitions, and requrests, and submit them to the USPTO.” 

Notes:

• Thanks to David Boundy for supplying this information. (For some unknown reason, the USPTO did not post information about this request for information from the public).
• File Attachment: appeal rules timing.pdf (56 KB) [This contains the PTO’s estimate of hours and costs]
• File Attachment: appeal rules.pdf (287 KB) [This contains the final PTO rules on appeal briefs]
• File Attachment: info collection.pdf (157 KB) [This contains directions on how the OMB requires information to be collected]