What happens if a letter of abandonment is received after a patent application is allowed?

This page is an FAQ based on guidance 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.

When a letter of abandonment is received after a patent application has been allowed, it is handled by the Publishing Division of the USPTO. As stated in MPEP 711.05:

Receipt of a letter of abandonment while an application is allowed is acknowledged by the Publishing Division.

This means that the Publishing Division will process the abandonment request and take appropriate actions to halt the publication process.