Source: https://www.clfip.com/ip/blog/mpep/710-02/
Timestamp: 2019-12-08 05:16:31
Document Index: 597591990

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1', '§ 41', '§ 41', '§ 41', '§ 41', '§ 90', '§ 41', '§ 42', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 41', '§ 42', '§ 90', '§ 710', '§ 710', '§ 710']

MPEP » Section 710.02 Shortened Statutory Period and Time Limit Actions Computed » Chhabra® Law
Section 710.02 Shortened Statutory Period and Time Limit Actions Computed
37 CFR 1.136 Extensions of time.
(1) If an applicant is required to reply within a nonstatutory or shortened statutory time period, applicant may extend the time period for reply up to the earlier of the expiration of any maximum period set by statute or five months after the time period set for reply, if a petition for an extension of time and the fee set in § 1.17(a) are filed, unless:
(i) Applicant is notified otherwise in an Office action;
(ii) The reply is a reply brief submitted pursuant to § 41.41 of this title;
(iii) The reply is a request for an oral hearing submitted pursuant to § 41.47(a) of this title;
(iv) The reply is to a decision by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board pursuant to § 41.50 or § 41.52 of this chapter or to § 90.3 of this chapter; or
(v) The application is involved in a contested case (§ 41.101(a) of this title) or a derivation proceeding (§ 42.4(b) of this title).
(2) The date on which the petition and the fee have been filed is the date for purposes of determining the period of extension and the corresponding amount of the fee. The expiration of the time period is determined by the amount of the fee paid. A reply must be filed prior to the expiration of the period of extension to avoid abandonment of the application (§ 1.135), but in no situation may an applicant reply later than the maximum time period set by statute, or be granted an extension of time under paragraph (b) of this section when the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section are available.
(3) A written request may be submitted in an application that is an authorization to treat any concurrent or future reply, requiring a petition for an extension of time under this paragraph for its timely submission, as incorporating a petition for extension of time for the appropriate length of time. An authorization to charge all required fees, fees under § 1.17, or all required extension of time fees will be treated as a constructive petition for an extension of time in any concurrent or future reply requiring a petition for an extension of time under this paragraph for its timely submission. Submission of the fee set forth in § 1.17(a) will also be treated as a constructive petition for an extension of time in any concurrent reply requiring a petition for an extension of time under this paragraph for its timely submission.
(b) When a reply cannot be filed within the time period set for such reply and the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section are not available, the period for reply will be extended only for sufficient cause and for a reasonable time specified. Any request for an extension of time under this paragraph must be filed on or before the day on which such reply is due, but the mere filing of such a request will not effect any extension under this paragraph. In no situation can any extension carry the date on which reply is due beyond the maximum time period set by statute. Any request under this paragraph must be accompanied by the petition fee set forth in § 1.17(g).
(c) If an applicant is notified in a “Notice of Allowability” that an application is otherwise in condition for allowance, the following time periods are not extendable if set in the “Notice of Allowability” or in an Office action having a mail date on or after the mail date of the “Notice of Allowability”:
(1) The period for submitting the inventor’s oath or declaration;
(2) The period for submitting formal drawings set under § 1.85(c); and
(3) The period for making a deposit set under § 1.809(c).
(d) See § 1.550(c) for extensions of time in ex parte reexamination proceedings, § 1.956 for extensions of time in inter partes reexamination proceedings; §§ 41.4(a) and 41.121(a)(3) of this chapter for extensions of time in contested cases before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board; § 42.5(c) of this chapter for extensions of time in trials before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board; and § 90.3 of this chapter for extensions of time to appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit or to commence a civil action.
37 CFR 1.136 implements 35 U.S.C. 41(a)(8) which directs the Director of the USPTO to charge fees for extensions of time to take action in patent applications.
Under 37 CFR 1.136 (35 U.S.C. 133) an applicant may be required to reply in a shorter period than 6 months, not less than 30 days. Some situations in which shortened periods for reply are used are listed in MPEP § 710.02(b).
In other situations, for example, the rejection of a copied patent claim, the examiner may require applicant to reply on or before a specified date. These are known as time limit actions and are established under authority of 35 U.S.C. 2 and 35 U.S.C. 3. Some situations in which time limits are set are noted in MPEP § 710.02(c). The time limit requirement should be typed in capital letters where required.
An indication of a shortened time for reply should appear prominently on the first page of all copies of actions in which a shortened time for reply has been set so that a person merely scanning the action can easily see it.
Shortened statutory periods are subject to the provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a) unless applicant is notified otherwise in an Office action. See MPEP § 710.02(e) for a discussion of extensions of time. See Chapter 2200 for ex parte reexamination proceedings and Chapter 2600 for inter partes reexamination proceedings.