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USPTO Announces Changes in Response to COVID-19 Outbreak
Practical Law Legal Update w-024-5152 (Approx. 3 pages)
USPTO Announces Changes in Response to COVID-19 Outbreak
by Practical Law Intellectual Property & Technology
| Published on 17 Mar 2020 • USA (National/Federal) |
The USPTO has announced multiple changes in response to the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, including remote meeting arrangements, office closings, and fee waivers in certain circumstances.
Since March 13, 2020, the USPTO has announced multiple changes in response to the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.
On March 13, 2020, the USPTO announced that all in-person meetings scheduled to take place in its offices on or after March 13, 2020 will be conducted remotely by video or telephone. These include:
- Examiner and Examining Attorney interviews.
- Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) or Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) oral hearings.
On March 15, 2020, the USPTO announced that its offices are closed to the public starting on March 16, 2020. The offices remain open for USPTO personnel and USPTO operations will continue without interruption.
On March 16, 2020, the USPTO issued a notice stating that it considers the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak an "extraordinary situation" under 37 C.F.R. § 1.183 and 37 C.F.R. § 2.146 for affected patent and trademark applicants, patent and trademark owners, and reexamination parties. Consequently, the USPTO is waiving petition fees in certain circumstances for those impacted by the outbreak who fail to file a timely reply or response.