What rights does an assignee of part interest have in a patent application?

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.

An assignee of part interest in a patent application has the following rights:

• They may access the application file (except when it’s under a secrecy order)
• They may intervene in the prosecution of the application to protect their interests
• They may file papers against the wishes of the inventor or other assignees, subject to the Commissioner’s discretion

As stated in MPEP 106.01: “An assignee of part interest in the entire right, title and interest in an application … has the right to inspect and obtain copies of papers in the application file.”