MPEP § 2804 — MPEP § 2804
Current through: 2022-07-01

2804-Representative of Patent Owner 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 Skip over navigation 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 search for patents | search for trademarks 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Search 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 PATENTS 
 
 Patent Search 

 
 Patent Process 

 
 Patent Classification 

 
 Patent Forms 

 
 Statistics 

 
 Electronic Business Center 

 
 Patent Laws, Regulations, Policies & Procedures 

 
 Resources and Guidance 

 
 Office of Data Management 

 
 Announcements 

 
 Initiatives & Events 

 
 International Protection 

 
 Employee Locator 

 
 Contact Patents 

 

 

 
 TRADEMARKS 
 
 Trademark Search 

 
 Trademarks Process 

 
 News & Notices 

 
 Manuals, Guides, Official Gazette 

 
 Laws & Regulations 

 
 Online Filing 

 
 Contact Trademarks 

 

 

 
 IP LAW & POLICY 
 
 Rulemaking 

 
 IP Policy and Enforcement 

 
 Protecting IP Overseas 

 
 Training and Education 

 
 Training Programs & Conferences 

 
 Office of Governmental Affairs 

 
 Office of Chief Economist 

 
 Boards and Counsel 

 

 

 
 PRODUCTS & SERVICES 
 
 Electronic Data Products 

 
 XML Resources 

 
 XML Resources - Retrospective 

 
 USPTO Contact Center Order Form 

 
 Services 

 
 Locate Libraries 

 
 Training/Events 

 
 Online Services Hub 

 

 

 
 INVENTORS 
 
 Patents for Inventors 

 
 Trademarks for Inventors 

 
 Inventors Assistance 

 
 Education and Information 

 
 Scam Prevention 

 
 Pro Se and Pro Bono 

 
 Current Events 

 
 State Resources 

 
 InventorsEye Newsletter 

 

 

 
 NEWS & NOTICES 
 
 Subscription Center 

 
 Press Releases 

 
 Testimony and Speeches 

 
 Director's Forum 

 
 Systems Status 

 
 Emergency Notices 

 
 USPTO Videos 

 
 Official Gazette 

 
 Federal Register Notices 

 
 Event Calendar 

 

 

 
 FAQs 
 
 Patents FAQs 

 
 Trademarks FAQs 

 
 Assignments 

 
 Security 

 
 Musicians and Artists 

 
 Browser Plugins 

 
 Other Web Resources 

 

 

 
 ABOUT US 
 
 USPTO Leadership 

 
 USPTO Organization 

 
 USPTO Offices 

 
 Careers 

 
 Budget, Performance, and Planning 

 
 Statistics 

 
 Vendor Information 

 
 Public Advisory Committees 

 
 National Medal of Technology and Innovation 

 
 IP in Motion 

 
 Contact Us 

 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 Home Page 

 
 Patents 

 
 Patent Laws, Regulations, Policies & Procedures 

 
 Manual of Patent Examining Procedure 

 Chapter 2800 

 Section 2804 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 2804 Representative of Patent Owner [R-11.2013]

 Where an attorney or agent files a request on behalf of a
 patent owner, he or she may act under a power of attorney under 37 CFR 1.32 , or
 in a representative capacity under 37 CFR 1.34 . In order to act in a
 representative capacity under 37 CFR 1.34 , an attorney or agent must
 provide his or her registration number, name, and signature. In order to act under a power
 of attorney from a patent owner, an attorney or agent must be provided with a power of
 attorney by the patent owner. Pursuant to 37 CFR 1.32(c) a
 
 "power of attorney may only name as
 representative"
 
 
 either one or more inventors or registered patent
 practitioners. Thus, an attorney or agent representing a patent owner must be a registered
 patent practitioner. A patent owner may not be represented during a supplemental
 examination proceeding or any resulting ex parte reexamination
 proceeding by an attorney or other person who is not registered to practice before the
 Office. 
 

 Any correspondence from the Office will be directed to the patent owner at the
 address indicated in the file of the patent for which supplemental
 examination is requested, pursuant to 37 CFR 1.33(c) , regardless of the
 address of the person filing the request . If the patent owner wishes the Office to direct correspondence regarding the
 supplemental examination proceeding to an address other than the official correspondence
 address of record in the file of the patent, then the patent owner must file a change of
 correspondence address in the file of the patent . A change of correspondence
 address should also be filed in the supplemental examination proceeding. See
 MPEP §
 2805 .
 

 
 2804.01 Withdrawal of Attorney or Agent [R-11.2013]

 For a practitioner to withdraw from representation in a
 patent, supplemental examination proceeding, or a reexamination proceeding, the Office
 no longer requires that there be at least 30 days remaining in any running period for
 response between the approval of a request to withdraw and the expiration date of any
 running period for response. Instead, pursuant to 37 CFR
 11.116(d) , a practitioner must take steps to the extent reasonably
 practicable to protect a client’s interests, such as giving reasonable notice to the
 client, allowing time for employment of other counsel, surrendering papers and property
 to which the client is entitled and refunding any advance payment of fee or expense that
 has not been earned or incurred. “Reasonable notice” should allow for a reasonable
 amount of time for the client to seek the services of another practitioner prior to the
 expiration of any applicable response period. When the correspondence address changes as
 a result of the withdrawal, the withdrawing practitioner(s) must request that the Office
 direct all future correspondence to the patent owner of record. Practitioners may do so
 by specifying either the correspondence address of the patent owner, or the address
 associated with the Customer Number of the patent owner. Withdrawing practitioner(s)
 cannot change the correspondence address to the address associated with the Customer
 Number of another law firm, or to any address other than that of the patent owner of
 record. See MPEP §§
 402.06 and 2805 .
 

 

 [top] 

 

 

 
 

 
 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 2801-Introduction 

 2802-Supplemental Examination 

 2803-Persons Who May File a Request for Supplemental Examination 
 2803.01-Inquiries from Persons Other Than the Patent Owner 

 2803.02-Public Access 

 
 

 2804-Representative of Patent Owner 
 2804.01-Withdrawal of Attorney or Agent 

 
 

 2805-Correspondence with Patent Owner; Patent Owner Address 

 2806-How to File Papers in a Supplemental Examination Proceeding and in Any Resulting Ex Parte Reexamination Proceeding 

 2807-Format of Papers Filed in a Supplemental Examination Proceeding 

 2808-Time for Requesting Supplemental Examination 

 2809-Items of Information 
 2809.01-Information Relating to the Correction of Factual Information 

 
 

 2810-Fees Due on Filing a Supplemental Examination Request 
 2810.01-Document Size Fees 

 
 

 2811-Content of Request for Supplemental Examination 
 2811.01 -Detailed Explanation of the Relevance and Manner of Applying Each Item of Information 

 2811.02 -Optional Content 

 
 

 2812-Initial Processing of a Request for Supplemental Examination 
 2812.01 -Filing Date of the Request 

 2812.02-Noncompliant Request for Supplemental Examination 

 2812.03 -Corrected Request 

 2812.04 -Termination Due to Defective/Improper Request or Corrected Request 

 
 

 2813-Handling of Papers, Other Than a Request, in a Supplemental Examination Proceeding 
 2813.01 -Amendments 

 
 

 2814-Interviews Are Prohibited 

 2815-Time for Deciding Request 

 2816-Determination on the Request 
 2816.01 -Claims Considered in Making the Determination 

 2816.02 -Criteria for Making the Determination 

 2816.03 -Content of the Determination 

 2816.04 -Effect of the Determination 

 
 

 2817-Conclusion of Supplemental Examination 
 2817.01 -Processing and Electronic Issuance of Supplemental Examination Certificate 

 
 

 2818-Procedure after Conclusion of Supplemental Examination 
 2818.01 -After Determination Finding a Substantial New Question of Patentability 

 2818.02 -After Determination Finding No Substantial New Question of Patentability 

 
 

 2819-Discovery of Possible Material Fraud 

 2820-Submission of Notification of Other Prior or Concurrent Post-Patent Office Proceedings 

 2821-Multiple Post-Patent Office Proceedings 

 2822-Assignment of the Supplemental Examination Proceeding 

 2823-Differences Between an Ex Parte Reexamination Proceeding Ordered Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 257 and an Ex Parte Reexamination Proceeding
 Ordered Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 302 

 

 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 

 

 
 
 Accessibility 

 Privacy Policy 

 Terms of Use 

 Security 

 Emergencies/Security Alerts 

 Information Quality Guidelines 

 
 

 
 
 Federal Activities Inventory Reform (FAIR) Act 

 Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation (NoFEAR) Act 

 Budget & Performance 

 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 

 
 

 
 
 Department of Commerce NoFEAR Act Report 

 Regulations.gov 

 STOP!Fakes.gov 

 Department of Commerce 

 USA.gov 

 
 

 
 
 Strategy Targeting Organized Piracy (STOP!) 

 Careers 

 Site Index 

 Contact Us 

 Submit Feedback 

 
 

 
 This page is owned by Patents.

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