Patent Appeal

Definition

A patent appeal is a request for the PTAB to review and reverse an examiner’s final rejection of an application’s claims.

Why It Matters Legally

Appealing can rescue valuable claims when an examiner refuses to allow them, though it adds time and cost. Knowing when to appeal versus amend is an important prosecution decision.

Example Use Case

After repeated rejections it believes are wrong, an applicant appeals to the PTAB, which reverses the examiner and allows the claims.

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Related Terms

Final Rejection, Request for Continued Examination, Patent Prosecution, Examiner