What should an examiner do if a supplemental reply is not approved for entry?
If a supplemental reply is not approved for entry, the examiner must follow specific procedures as outlined in MPEP 714.03(a):
- Annotate the reply with ‘DO NOT ENTER’ and initial it.
- Enter the annotated document into the electronic file wrapper.
- Notify the applicant in the subsequent Office action that the supplemental reply was not entered.
The MPEP also provides a form paragraph (7.147) for examiners to use when notifying applicants about a non-entered supplemental reply. This ensures clear communication about the status of the supplemental reply and the reasons for its non-entry.
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