Intellectual Property Law

USPTO proposes limitations on fax submissions and font size

By McKee, Voorhees & Sease, P.L.C.

In a Federal Register notice published today, the USPTO is proposing to limit the types of documents that may be submitted to the Office via fax, as well as mandating a larger font size in documents submitted to the Office.

With regard to the fax limitation, the revised rules would prohibit most types of submissions from being sent to the USPTO via fax.  This would affect both patent and trademark practice.  The font size limitation is being changed to conform with PCT Rule 11.9(d), which requires a font where capital letters are no smaller than .28 cm in height.  The notice gives as an example of an acceptable font 12 point Times New Roman, and cautions that footnote text must also comply with this size limitation.

Comments on the proposed rules must be received by October 6.

Full post as published by FileWrapper on August 06, 2008 (boomark / email).