MPEP Section 2270, Clerical Handling

Executive summary:

This document contains Section 2270 ("Clerical Handling") 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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2270 Clerical Handling [R-7]

The person designated as the reexamination clerk will handle most of the initial clerical processing of the reexamination file. The Central Reexamination >(CRU) Supervisory Patent Examiner (SPE)< Unit or Technology Center ** >(TC) Quality Assurance Specialist (QAS)< provides oversight as to clerical processing.

Amendments which comply with 37 CFR 1.530(d)-(j) will be entered for purposes of reexamination in the reexamination file. See MPEP § 2234 and § 2250 for the manner of entering amendments.

For entry of amendments in a merged reissue-reexamination proceeding, see MPEP § 2283 and § 2285.

Where an amendment is submitted in proper form and it is otherwise appropriate to enter the amendment, the amendment will be entered for purposes of the reexamination proceeding, even though the amendment does not have legal effect until the certificate is issued. Any "new matter" amendment to the disclosure ( 35 U.S.C. 132) will be required to be canceled, and claims containing new matter will be rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112. A "new matter" amendment to the drawing is ordinarily not entered. See MPEP § 608.04, § 608.04(a) and (c). Where an amendment enlarges the scope of the claims of the patent, the amendment will be entered; however the appropriate claims will be rejected under 35 U.S.C. 305.