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2601 Introduction [Added R-2] - 2600 Optional Inter Partes Reexamination
2601 Introduction [Added R-2]
The reexamination statute was amended on November 29, 1999 by Public Law 106-113. Public Law 106-113 expanded reexamination by providing an "inter partes" option; it authorized the extension of reexamination proceedings via an optional inter partes reexamination procedure in addition to the existing ex parte reexamination procedure. See Title IV, subtitle F (§§ 4601 through 4608) of the "Intellectual Property and Communications Omnibus Reform Act of 1999," S. 1948 (106th Cong. 1st Sess. (1999)). Section 1000(a)(9), Division B, of Public Law 106-113 incorporated and enacted into law the "Intellectual Property and Communications Omnibus Reform Act of 1999" (S. 1948). As a result, new sections 311- 318 of title 35 United States Code directed to the optional inter partes reexamination proceeding were added by Public Law 106-113.
The reexamination statute was again amended on November 2, 2002, by Public Law 107-273, 116 Stat. 1758, 1899-1906 (2002). Public Law 107-273 expanded the scope of what qualifies for a substantial new question of patentability upon which a reexamination may be based (see MPEP § 2642, POLICY IN SPECIFIC SITUATIONS, part A), expanded the third party requester's appeal rights to include appeal to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (see MPEP § 2679), and made technical corrections to the statute. See the 21st Century Department of Justice Appropriations Authorization Act, TITLE III - INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, Subtitle A - Patent and Trademark Office, Section 13105, of the "Patent and Trademark Office Authorization Act of 2002" - Enacted as part of Public Law 107-273 on November 2, 2002.
The optional inter partes alternative provides third party requesters with a greater opportunity to participate in reexamination proceedings, while maintaining most of the features which make reexamination a desirable alternative to litigation in the Federal Courts (e.g., low cost relative to Court proceedings, expedited procedure).
The optional inter partes alternative also provides third party requesters with appeal rights to appeal to the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences (Board) and to participate in the patent owner's appeal to the Board.
For any inter partes reexamination proceeding commenced on or after November 2, 2002, the third party requester also has the appeal rights to appeal to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and to participate in the patent owner's appeal to the Federal Circuit. For an inter partes reexamination proceeding commenced prior to November 2, 2002, however, no appeal rights are provided for the third party requester to appeal to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, nor to participate in the patent owner's appeal to the Court. See MPEP § 2683.
Exercising the inter partes option is conditioned (by Public Law 106-113) on the third party requester accepting a statutory estoppel against subsequent review, either by the Office or by a Federal Court, of the issues that were or could have been raised in the reexamination proceeding. These limits, which will be discussed in this Chapter are aimed at preventing inter partes reexamination proceedings from being used to harass patent owners.
The final rules to implement the statutory inter partes reexamination option was published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2000 (65 Fed. Reg. 76756) and in the Official Gazette on January 2, 2001 (1243 O.G. 12). The final rule notice stated that the changes to the rules of practice to implement the optional inter partes reexamination provisions of the American Inventors Protection Act of 1999 would become effective on February 5, 2001. The notice includes not only the text of the final rules, but also a discussion of the rules and analysis of the comments received, which serve as guidance in the implementation of the rules.
Both the statutory inter partes reexamination option, 35 U.S.C., Chapter 31, and the new inter partes reexamination rules, 37 CFR, Sub-part H, apply to all reexamination proceedings for patents issuing from applications filed on or after November 29, 1999. For a patent issued from an application filed prior to November 29, 1999, the statutory inter partes reexamination option is not available, only the ex parte reexamination is available (see 37 CFR, Sub-part D, 37 CFR 1.510 et seq.).
See MPEP Chapter 2200 (section 2209 et seq.) for guidance on the procedures for ex parte reexamination proceedings.
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