What is the correspondence address used for patent owners in ex parte reexamination?
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.
In ex parte reexamination, the correspondence address for the patent owner is typically the official correspondence address of record in the file of the patent being reexamined. The MPEP section 2264 provides guidance on this:
“Usually, the official correspondence address of the patent owner, which is of record in the file of the patent, is the mailing address of the patent owner’s legal representative.”
If there is no official correspondence address on record, the USPTO may use the mailing address of the patent owner as the correspondence address. In cases with multiple patent owners, the Office may use the mailing address of the first named patent owner of record as the correspondence address.
It’s important to note that the USPTO will not engage in double correspondence with more than one patent owner, as stated in 37 CFR 1.33(a).