What is the significance of an application being considered “special”?
When an application is considered “special,” it receives priority treatment in the examination process. MPEP § 1301 states:
“When an application is in condition for allowance, except as to matters of form, the application will be considered special and prompt action taken to require correction of formal matters.”
This special status means that the USPTO will expedite the processing of the application, focusing on quickly resolving any remaining formal issues. The goal is to move the application towards allowance and issuance more rapidly than standard applications.
For more information on special status and expedited examination, refer to MPEP § 710.02(b).
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