MPEP Section 317, Handling of Documents in the Assignment Division

Executive summary:

This document contains Section 317 ("Handling of Documents in the Assignment Division") 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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317 Handling of Documents in the Assignment Division [R-3]

All documents and cover sheets submitted for recording are examined for formal requirements in the Assignment Division in order to separate documents which are recordable from those which are not recordable.

Documents and cover sheets that are considered not to be recordable are returned to the sender by the Assignment Division with an explanation. If the sender disagrees or believes that the document represents an unusual case which justifies recordation, the sender may present the question to the *>Director< by way of petition under 37 CFR 1.181, filed with the Office of Petitions.

After an assignment and cover sheet have been recorded, they will be returned to the name and address indicated on the cover sheet to receive correspondence, showing the reel and frame number.