What types of changes can an examiner make to an application without the applicant’s authorization?
According to MPEP 1302.04, an examiner can make certain changes to an application without the applicant’s authorization. These include:
- Correcting obvious misspellings, grammatical errors, and clerical mistakes
- Changing the title of the invention to be more descriptive and specific
- Correcting erroneous citations
The MPEP states: “The examiner may make the following changes without applicant’s authorization: (A) Correcting erroneous citations or other obvious errors…” It’s important to note that these changes are limited to minor corrections that do not affect the substance of the application.
To learn more: