What happens if an expungement petition is granted?

This page is an FAQ based on guidance from the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only: it is not legal advice.

If an expungement petition is granted, the USPTO will take action to remove the erroneous assignment record. As stated in MPEP 323.01(d): ‘The assignment records related to a request for expungement will be expunged, deleted or corrected in accordance with the decision on the petition.’ This means that the incorrect or unnecessary information will be removed from the official assignment records, helping to maintain accurate ownership information for the patent or application.