37 CFR § 1.31 — Applicant may be represented by one or more (MPEP Coverage Index) – BlueIron IP

This page consolidates MPEP guidance interpreting 37 CFR § 1.31, including 31 rules 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.

Summary

This section outlines the qualifications and registration requirements for design patent practitioners, who must be registered under 37 CFR 11.6(d) to practice in design patent matters.

What this section covers

Defines that this section addresses the representation of applicants in design patent matters.

Key obligations

States that design patent practitioners must be registered under 37 CFR 11.6(d).
Mentions that only registered practitioners can practice in design patent matters.
States the requirement for a customer number when filing on behalf of an assignee.

Practice notes

Advises practitioners to ensure they are registered before representing an applicant in design patent matters.
Warns against unregistered individuals practicing in design patent matters, as it may lead to legal issues.

Requirement for Proper Signatures on Pre-AIA AmendmentsMPEP 2590
Patent Practitioner Required for Juristic Entity PapersMPEP 2590Required
Juristic Entity Must Be Represented by Patent PractitionerMPEP 401Required
Office Cannot Assist in Choosing Patent PractitionerMPEP 401Prohibited
Examiner May Suggest Hiring Patent Attorney for Pro Se ApplicantsMPEP 401Prohibited
Listing of Patent Practitioners RequiredMPEP 401
How to Get a List of Registered Patent PractitionersMPEP 401Permitted
Examiner Should Not Suggest Patent Practitioner Without Patentable Subject MatterMPEP 401Recommended
Signatures Required for Filing PapersMPEP 403.01(a)Required
Juristic Entity Papers Must Be Signed by Patent PractitionerMPEP 403.01(a)Required
Access and File Follow-On Documents via EFS-Web for AgentsMPEP 502.05Permitted
Juristic Entity Applicants Must Be Represented by Patent PractitionerMPEP 502.05Required

Patent Practitioner Required for Juristic Entity PapersMPEP 2590Required
Juristic Entity Must Be Represented by Patent PractitionerMPEP 324Required
Juristic Entity Submissions Must Be Signed by Patent PractitionerMPEP 324Required
Assignee Must Establish Ownership for Specific ActionsMPEP 324Required
Organizational Assignee Must Be Represented by Patent PractitionerMPEP 324Required
Patent Property Owner Must Be Represented by Practitioner if Juristic EntityMPEP 325Required
Juristic Entity Must Be Represented by Patent PractitionerMPEP 401Required
Juristic Entity Must Be Represented by Patent PractitionerMPEP 401Required
Signatures Required for Filing PapersMPEP 403.01(a)Required
Juristic Entity Papers Must Be Signed by Patent PractitionerMPEP 403.01(a)Required
Juristic Entity Applicants Must Be Represented by Patent PractitionerMPEP 502.05Required

Design Patent Practitioners Can Only Practice in Design MattersMPEP 1502.02Permitted
Design Patent Practitioners Cannot Sign Utility ApplicationsMPEP 1502.02Prohibited
All Patent Practitioners Can Sign Design ApplicationsMPEP 1502.02Permitted
POA via Customer Number for Design PatentsMPEP 1502.02Permitted
Power of Attorney via Customer Number Must Include Authorized Practitioners OnlyMPEP 1502.02Permitted
Design Patent Practitioner Cannot Establish POA in Utility/Plant ApplicationsMPEP 1502.02Prohibited
List of Registered Patent Attorneys and Agents Available OnlineMPEP 1502.02
How to Obtain a List of Registered Patent PractitionersMPEP 1502.02Permitted
Office Cannot Aid in Selecting Patent PractitionersMPEP 1502.02Prohibited
Non-Juristic Entity Can File and Prosecute Own Patent Application Pro SeMPEP 401Permitted
Certifications Required for Pro Se ApplicantsMPEP 401Permitted
Patent Practitioner or Joint Inventor Can Give Power of AttorneyMPEP 402Permitted
Joint Inventor Can Grant POA to Non-PractitionerMPEP 402

MPEP Section	Rules
MPEP § 1502.02	Design Patent Practitioners Can Only Practice in Design MattersMPEP 1502.02Permitted Design Patent Practitioners Cannot Sign Utility ApplicationsMPEP 1502.02Prohibited All Patent Practitioners Can Sign Design ApplicationsMPEP 1502.02Permitted POA via Customer Number for Design PatentsMPEP 1502.02Permitted Power of Attorney via Customer Number Must Include Authorized Practitioners OnlyMPEP 1502.02Permitted Design Patent Practitioner Cannot Establish POA in Utility/Plant ApplicationsMPEP 1502.02Prohibited List of Registered Patent Attorneys and Agents Available OnlineMPEP 1502.02 How to Obtain a List of Registered Patent PractitionersMPEP 1502.02Permitted Office Cannot Aid in Selecting Patent PractitionersMPEP 1502.02Prohibited
MPEP § 2590	Requirement for Proper Signatures on Pre-AIA AmendmentsMPEP 2590 Patent Practitioner Required for Juristic Entity PapersMPEP 2590Required
MPEP § 324	Juristic Entity Must Be Represented by Patent PractitionerMPEP 324Required Juristic Entity Submissions Must Be Signed by Patent PractitionerMPEP 324Required Assignee Must Establish Ownership for Specific ActionsMPEP 324Required Organizational Assignee Must Be Represented by Patent PractitionerMPEP 324Required
MPEP § 325	Patent Property Owner Must Be Represented by Practitioner if Juristic EntityMPEP 325Required
MPEP § 401	Juristic Entity Must Be Represented by Patent PractitionerMPEP 401Required Office Cannot Assist in Choosing Patent PractitionerMPEP 401Prohibited Juristic Entity Must Be Represented by Patent PractitionerMPEP 401Required Non-Juristic Entity Can File and Prosecute Own Patent Application Pro SeMPEP 401Permitted Certifications Required for Pro Se ApplicantsMPEP 401Permitted Examiner May Suggest Hiring Patent Attorney for Pro Se ApplicantsMPEP 401Prohibited Listing of Patent Practitioners RequiredMPEP 401 How to Get a List of Registered Patent PractitionersMPEP 401Permitted Examiner Should Not Suggest Patent Practitioner Without Patentable Subject MatterMPEP 401Recommended
MPEP § 402	Patent Practitioner or Joint Inventor Can Give Power of AttorneyMPEP 402Permitted Joint Inventor Can Grant POA to Non-PractitionerMPEP 402
MPEP § 403.01(a)	Signatures Required for Filing PapersMPEP 403.01(a)Required Juristic Entity Papers Must Be Signed by Patent PractitionerMPEP 403.01(a)Required
MPEP § 502.05	Access and File Follow-On Documents via EFS-Web for AgentsMPEP 502.05Permitted Juristic Entity Applicants Must Be Represented by Patent PractitionerMPEP 502.05Required

Related Provisions

Based on MPEP Last Modified: 10/30/2024 08:50:22

37 CFR § 1.31 — Applicant may be represented by one or more (MPEP Coverage Index) – BlueIron IP

37 CFR § 1.31 Applicant may be represented by one or more

Summary

Official MPEP § 1.31 — Applicant may be represented by one or more

1.31 Applicant may be represented by one or more patent practitioners or joint inventors.

Verbatim in MPEP

Required Actions

Key Interpretations

Topics

MPEP Coverage

Related Provisions