What happens if an applicant fails to reply to a non-final Office action within the period for reply?

If an applicant fails to reply to a non-final Office action within the period for reply, the application becomes abandoned. According to MPEP 711.02(a):

An application becomes abandoned if applicant ‘fails to reply’ to an office action within the fixed statutory period. This failure may result either from (A) failure to reply within the statutory period, or (B) insufficiency of reply, i.e., failure to file a ‘complete and proper reply, as the condition of the case may require’ within the statutory period.

It’s crucial for applicants to respond to Office actions within the specified timeframe to prevent their applications from becoming abandoned.

To learn more:

• Office action
• abandonment
• reply period
• patent application

To learn more:

• Failure to reply
• Non-final rejection