What information is included in the first Office action of a CPA?

The first Office action of a Continued Prosecution Application (CPA) includes important information for the applicant. According to MPEP ¶ 2.35, the examiner should:

• Advise the applicant that a ‘conditional’ request for a CPA is treated as an unconditional request
• Confirm that the CPA is acceptable and has been established
• Provide notice that an action on the CPA follows

This information is crucial because, as stated in the MPEP, “applicant is not notified of the abandonment of the parent nor is a filing receipt normally sent for a CPA.” Therefore, this Office action serves as an important communication regarding the status of the application.

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