MPEP 821
Treatment of Claims Held To Be Drawn to Nonelected Inventions

Ninth Edition of the MPEP, Revision 10.2019, Last Revised in June 2020

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821    Treatment of Claims Held To Be Drawn to Nonelected Inventions [R-07.2015]

Claims found to be drawn to nonelected inventions, including claims drawn to nonelected species or inventions that may be eligible for rejoinder, are treated as indicated in MPEP § 821.01 through § 821.04.

All claims that the examiner finds are not directed to the elected invention are withdrawn from further consideration by the examiner in accordance with 37 CFR 1.142(b). See MPEP § 821.01 through § 821.04. The examiner should clearly set forth in the Office action the reasons why the claims withdrawn from consideration are not readable on the elected invention. Applicant may traverse the requirement pursuant to 37 CFR 1.143. If a final requirement for restriction is made by the examiner, applicant may file a petition under 37 CFR 1.144 for review of the restriction requirement if the applicant made a timely traversal. See In re Hengehold, 440 F.2d 1395, 169 USPQ 473 (CCPA 1971).