MPEP Section 2241, Time for Deciding Request

Executive summary:

This document contains Section 2241 ("Time for Deciding Request ") of the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (the "M.P.E.P."), Eighth Edition, Eighth Revision (July 2010). This page was last updated in January 2011. You may return to the section index to find a particular section. Alternatively, you may search the MPEP using the search box that appears on the left side of every page of BitLaw--you may restrict your search to the MPEP on the search results page.

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2241 Time for Deciding Request [R-2]

The determination >of< whether or not to reexamine must be made within 3 months following the filing date of a request. See 35 U.S.C. 303(a) and 37 CFR 1.515(a). >If the 3-month period ends on a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday within the District of Columbia, then the determination must be mailed by the preceding business day.< The examiner should take up a request for decision about 6 weeks after the request was filed. The decision should be mailed within 10 weeks of the filing date of the request. When reexamination for the same patent has already been ordered based on an earlier request and that reexamination is pending, the examiner should immediately take up the new request for decision, i.e., there should be no delay of 6 weeks. See the last portion of MPEP § 2240 and also see MPEP § 2283 for multiple copending reexamination proceedings. A determination to reexamine may be made at any time during the period of enforceability of a patent.