Can patent examiners group claims together in a common rejection?
Patent examiners should be cautious when grouping claims together for rejection. According to MPEP 707.07(d):
“Claims should not be grouped together in a common rejection unless that rejection is equally applicable to all claims in the group.”
This guideline ensures that each claim receives proper individual consideration. Examiners should only group claims together if the same rejection applies equally to all claims in that group. If claims have different issues or require different rejections, they should be addressed separately.
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