New Deadlines to Respond to Trademark Office Actions

Maier & Maier

On December 3, 2022, the United States Patent and Trademark Office will shorten the response deadline for Trademark office actions from 6-months to 3-months. This shortened deadline will apply to all office actions issued on or after December 3, 2022.

There will be an opportunity to file one 3-month extension for an additional fee. The USPTO fee for a 3-month extension will be $125 and the extension request must be filed before the initial 3-month deadline.

The goal of the shortened response deadline is to decrease the time to obtain a registration, while also allowing flexibility to request additional time to respond to more complex office actions.

The new shortened deadline will not apply to applications filed through the Madrid Protocol section 66(a).

The deadline for post-registration office actions will remain unchanged until October 7, 2023.

If a response deadline is missed, it may still by possible to revive the application by filing a petition to revive.

We look forward to assisting our valued clients as we navigate the transition to a 3-month response timeline.

USPTO First Office Action Estimator Now Available

Maier & Maier

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) has announced the availability of an online First Office Action Estimator tool to provide an estimate on when to expect a first Office Action for pending U.S. patent applications.

The estimator has been updated to account for the recent changes to the methodology for assigning patent applications to patent examiners.  In fiscal year 2001, the USPTO transitioned to using the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) to assign applications.

While the estimator can provide helpful insight, the estimates are not guaranteed by the USPTO.

You may access the First Office Action Estimator here.