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Patent Law FAQ

This FAQ answers all your questions about patent law, patent procedure, and the patent examination process.

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Here’s the complete FAQ:

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Are there any exceptions that allow a suspended or excluded patent practitioner to inspect an application?

Yes, there is one exception. A suspended or excluded patent attorney or agent can inspect an application if they are the inventor or applicant of that particular application. The MPEP clarifies:

USPTO employees are forbidden to hold either oral or written communication with an attorney or agent who has been suspended or excluded from practice by the USPTO regarding an application unless it is one in which said attorney or agent is an inventor or the applicant.

So while suspended or excluded practitioners generally cannot inspect applications, they can still access ones in which they are directly involved as the inventor or applicant.

Topics: MPEP 105 - Suspended or Excluded Practitioner Cannot Inspect, Patent Law
Tags: exceptions to practitioner restrictions, excluded patent practitioners, inventor signature, service to applicant, suspended patent practitioners
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