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2241 Time for Deciding Request [R-2] - 2200 Citation of Prior Art and Ex Parte Reexamination of Patents
2241 Time for Deciding Request [R-2]
The determination >of< whether or not to reexamine must be made within 3 months following the filing date of a request. See 35 U.S.C. 303(a) and 37 CFR 1.515(a). >If the 3-month period ends on a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday within the District of Columbia, then the determination must be mailed by the preceding business day.< The examiner should take up a request for decision about 6 weeks after the request was filed. The decision should be mailed within 10 weeks of the filing date of the request. When reexamination for the same patent has already been ordered based on an earlier request and that reexamination is pending, the examiner should immediately take up the new request for decision, i.e., there should be no delay of 6 weeks. See the last portion of MPEP § 2240 and also see MPEP § 2283 for multiple copending reexamination proceedings. A determination to reexamine may be made at any time during the period of enforceability of a patent.
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