MPEP Section 705.01(b), Sequence of Examination

Executive summary:

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705.01(b) Sequence of Examination

In the event that the supervisory patent examiners concerned in a P.R. case cannot agree as to the order of examination by their Technology Centers (TCs), the supervisory patent examiner having jurisdiction of the application will direct that a complete search be made of the art relevant to his or her claims prior to referring the application to another TC for report. The TC to which the application is referred will be advised of the results of this search.

If the supervisory patent examiners are of the opinion that a different sequence of search is expedient, the order of search should be correspondingly modified.