What types of correspondence are not eligible for the Certificate of Mailing or Transmission procedure?

While the Certificate of Mailing or Transmission procedure is useful for many types of USPTO correspondence, there are several exceptions. According to 37 CFR 1.8(a)(2), the procedure does not apply to: Filing of national patent application specifications and drawings for the purpose of obtaining an application filing date Filing of correspondence in an international application…

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How does the USPTO handle correspondence for applications with multiple applicants?

How does the USPTO handle correspondence for applications with multiple applicants? The USPTO has specific rules for handling correspondence in applications with multiple applicants: For applications filed on or after September 16, 2012, the USPTO will direct correspondence to the first named applicant, unless a practitioner is appointed. For applications filed before September 16, 2012,…

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Can a suspended or excluded practitioner continue to receive USPTO correspondence?

No, a suspended or excluded practitioner is not permitted to receive correspondence from the USPTO regarding patent applications. According to MPEP 407: A suspended or excluded practitioner is not entitled to receive correspondence from the Office, or have interviews with examiners, in applications or patents. The USPTO takes the following steps to ensure compliance: Correspondence…

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How should I submit maintenance fee payments to the USPTO?

Maintenance fee payments have a specific mailing address if not submitted electronically. According to MPEP 501, which cites 37 CFR 1.1(d): Maintenance fee payments that are not submitted electronically and correspondence related to maintenance fees may be addressed to: Mail Stop Maintenance Fee, Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450,…

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