What is the role of TC Directors in disseminating court and PTAB decisions?

TC Directors play a crucial role in disseminating both court and Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) decisions within the USPTO:

  1. For court decisions:
    • TC Directors receive copies of recent court decisions from the Office of the Commissioner for Patents.
    • They make these decisions available to supervisors and other appropriate individuals.
    • TC Directors are encouraged to discuss the contents of the opinions in staff meetings, particularly to reinforce examination quality.
  2. For PTAB decisions:
    • TC Directors may circulate and discuss the decision among some or all supervisors in their Technology Center (TC).
    • They determine the extent of circulation based on the subject matter or issues in the decisions.

The MPEP states: “TC Directors are encouraged to discuss the contents of the opinions in their staff meetings, particularly where such meetings are being held to reinforce examination quality.”

This emphasizes the TC Directors’ important role in ensuring that relevant legal decisions are communicated effectively to improve patent examination practices.

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Tags: Court Decisions, dissemination, Examination Quality, Ptab Decisions, tc directors, USPTO