MPEP Section 710.04, Two Periods Running

Executive summary:

This document contains Section 710.04 ("Two Periods Running") of the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (the "M.P.E.P."), Eighth Edition, Seventh Revision (July 2008). This page was last updated in November 2009. 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.

For more information on patent law, please see the Patent Section of BitLaw. For patent services, see the Beck & Tysver pages.

Previous Section (§710.02(e)) | Next Section (§710.04(a))

710.04 Two Periods Running [R-3]

There sometimes arises a situation where two different periods for reply are running against an application, the one limited by the regular statutory period, the other by the limited period set in a subsequent Office action. The running of the first period is not suspended nor affected by an ex parte limited time action or even by an appeal therefrom. For an exception involving suggested claims, see MPEP *> Chapter 2300<.