Definition
An office action is a written communication from a patent examiner stating the reasons an application or its claims are being rejected or objected to.
Why It Matters Legally
Office actions set deadlines and define the issues an applicant must overcome. How an applicant responds, through amendment or argument, directly shapes the scope and survival of the patent.
Example Use Case
An inventor receives a non-final office action rejecting all claims over prior art and has three months to respond with amendments or arguments.
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Related Terms
Final Rejection, Examiner, Patent Prosecution, Claim Amendment