What is the role of a supervisory patent examiner in application assignment?

Source: FAQ (MPEP-Based)BlueIron Update: 2024-09-27

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.

The supervisory patent examiner plays a crucial role in the assignment of patent applications to examiners. According to MPEP 909.02(b):

“The supervisory patent examiner normally assigns the application to an examiner.”

This means that the supervisory patent examiner is typically responsible for:

  • Reviewing incoming applications
  • Determining which examiner is best suited to handle each application
  • Assigning the application to the appropriate examiner for examination

This process ensures that applications are distributed efficiently and assigned to examiners with the relevant expertise.

Tags: patent assignment, patent examination process, Supervisory Patent Examiner