Can assignment records be expunged after issuance of a patent?
Yes, assignment records can be expunged even after a patent has been issued. The MPEP 323.01(d) states: ‘Expungement of any assignment records will be handled in accordance with 37 CFR 1.4(g). This may include expungement of documents recorded prior to, during, or after, prosecution of the application that matured into the patent.’ This means that the USPTO can consider expungement requests for assignment records at any stage, including after the patent has been granted.
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Topics:
MPEP 300 - Ownership and Assignment,
Patent Law,
Patent Procedure