MPEP § 2616 — MPEP § 2616
Current through: 2022-07-01

2616-Substantial New Question of Patentability/Reasonable Likelihood That Requester Will Prevail 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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 Manual of Patent Examining Procedure 

 Chapter 2600 

 Section 2616 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 2616 Substantial New Question of Patentability/Reasonable Likelihood
 That Requester Will Prevail [R-01.2024]
 

 The Office does not accept requests for inter
 partes reexamination filed on or after September 16, 2012. See
 37 CFR
 1.913(b) . Guidance on the former practice is available in revision 7
 of the 8 th Edition of the MPEP.
 

 [top] 

 

 

 
 

 
 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 2601-Introduction 
 2601.01-Flowcharts 

 
 

 2602-Citation of Prior Art 

 2603 - 2608-[Reserved] 

 2609-Inter Partes Reexamination 

 2610-Request for Inter Partes Reexamination 

 2611-Time for Requesting Inter Partes Reexamination 

 2612-Persons Who May File a Request 

 2613-Representative of Requester 

 2614-Content of Request for Inter Partes Reexamination 

 2615-Fee for Requesting Inter Partes Reexamination 

 2616-Substantial New Question of Patentability/Reasonable Likelihood That Requester Will Prevail 

 2617-Statement in the Request Applying Prior Art 

 2618-Copies of Prior Art (Patents and Printed Publications) 

 2619-Copy of Printed Patent 

 2620-Certificate of Service 

 2621-[Reserved] 

 2622-Address of Patent Owner 

 2623-Withdrawal of Attorney or Agent 

 2624-Correspondence 

 2625-Untimely Paper Filed Prior to First Office Action 

 2626-Initial Processing of Request for Inter Partes Reexamination 

 2627-Incomplete Request for Inter Partes Reexamination 

 2628-[Reserved] 

 2629-Notice of Request for Inter Partes Reexamination in Official Gazette 

 2630-Constructive Notice to Patent Owner 

 2631-Processing of Request Corrections 

 2632-Public Access 
 2632.01-Determining If a Reexamination Request Was Filed for a Patent 

 
 

 2633-[Reserved] 

 2634-Fee Processing and Procedure 

 2635-Record Systems 

 2636-Assignment of Reexamination 

 2637-[Reserved] 

 2638-Time Reporting 

 2639-[Reserved] 

 2640-Decision on Request 

 2641-Time for Deciding Request 

 2642-Criteria for Deciding Request 

 2643-Claims Considered in Deciding Request 

 2644-Prior Art on Which the Determination Is Based 

 2645-[Reserved] 

 2646-Decision Ordering Reexamination 

 2647-Decision Denying Reexamination 
 2647.01-Examples of Decisions on Requests 

 2647.02-Processing of Decision 

 
 

 2648-Petition From Denial of Request 

 2649 - 2653-[Reserved] 

 2654-Conduct of Inter Partes Reexamination Proceedings 

 2655-Who Reexamines 

 2656-Prior Art Patents and Printed Publications Reviewed by Examiner in Reexamination 

 2657-Listing of Prior Art 

 2658-Scope of Inter Partes Reexamination 

 2659-Res Judicata and Collateral Estoppel in Reexamination Proceedings 

 2660-First Office Action 
 2660.01-[Reserved] 

 2660.02-The Title 

 2660.03-Dependent Claims 

 
 

 2661-Special Status for Action 

 2662-Time for Response and Comments 

 2663-[Reserved] 

 2664-Mailing of Office Action 

 2665-Extension of Time for Patent Owner Response 

 2666-Patent Owner Response to Office Action 
 2666.01-Amendment by Patent Owner 

 2666.02-Correction of Patent Drawings 

 2666.03-Correction of Inventorship 

 2666.04-Fees for Adding Claims 

 2666.05-Third Party Comments After Patent Owner Response 

 2666.06-Service of Papers 

 2666.07-2666.09-[Reserved] 

 2666.10-Patent Owner Does Not Respond to Office Action 

 2666.11 - 2666.19-[Reserved] 

 2666.20-Third Party Does Not Comment After Patent Owner Response 

 2666.21 - 2666.29-[Reserved] 

 2666.30-Submission Not Fully Responsive to Non-final Office Action 

 2666.31 - 2666.39-[Reserved] 

 2666.40-Patent Owner Completion of Response and Third Party Comments Thereon 

 2666.41-2666.49-[Reserved] 

 2666.50-Examiner Issues Notice of Defective Paper in Inter Partes Reexamination 

 2666.51-2666.59-[Reserved] 

 2666.60-Response by Patent Owner/Third Party to Notice of Defective Paper 

 
 

 2667-Handling of Inappropriate or Untimely Filed Papers 

 2668-Petition for Entry of Late Papers for Revival of Reexamination Proceeding 

 2669-[Reserved] 

 2670-Clerical Handling 

 2671-Examiner Action Following Response/Comments or Expiration of Time for Same 
 2671.01-Examiner Issues Action on Merits That Does Not Close Prosecution 

 2671.02-Examiner Issues Action Closing Prosecution (ACP) 

 2671.03-Panel Review 

 
 

 2672-Patent Owner Comments/Amendment After ACP and Third Party Requester Responsive Comments 

 2673-Examiner Consideration of Submissions After ACP and Further Action 
 2673.01-Reopening Prosecution After ACP 

 2673.02-Examiner Issues Right of Appeal Notice (RAN) 

 
 

 2674-Appeal in Inter Partes Reexamination 
 2674.01-Cross Appeal After Original Appeal 

 
 

 2675-Appellant Brief 
 2675.01-Respondent Brief 

 2675.02-Informalities in One or More of the Briefs 

 
 

 2676-Appeal Conference 

 2677-Examiner’s Answer 

 2678-Rebuttal Briefs 

 2679-Office Treatment of Rebuttal Brief 

 2680-Oral Hearing 

 2681-Board Decision 

 2682-Action Following Decision 

 2683-Appeal to Courts 

 2684-Information Material to Patentability in Reexamination Proceeding 

 2685-No Interviews on Merits in Inter Partes Reexamination Proceedings 

 2686-Notification of Existence of Prior or Concurrent Proceedings and Decisions Thereon 
 2686.01-Multiple Copending Reexamination Proceedings 

 2686.02-Copending Reexamination and Interference Proceedings 

 2686.03-Copending Reexamination and Reissue Proceedings 

 2686.04-Reexamination and Litigation Proceedings 

 2686.05-Reexamination and Inter Partes Review Proceedings, Post-Grant Review, and Covered Business Method Patent Review 

 
 

 2687-Notice of Intent to Issue Inter Partes Reexamination Certificate (NIRC) and Conclusion of Reexamination Proceeding 
 2687.01-Examiner Consideration of Submissions After NIRC 

 
 

 2688-Issuance of Inter Partes Reexamination Certificate 

 2689-Reexamination Review 

 2690-Format of Inter Partes Reexamination Certificate 

 2691-Notice of Inter Partes Reexamination Certificate Issuance in Official Gazette 

 2692-Distribution of Certificate 

 2693-Intervening Rights 

 2694-Concluded Reexamination Proceedings 

 2695-Reexamination of a Reexamination 

 2696-USPTO Forms To Be Used in Inter Partes Reexamination 

 

 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 

 

 
 
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 Last Modified: 
 
 03/09/2026 20:50:48