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2263 Time for Response [R-5] - 2200 Citation of Prior Art and Ex Parte Reexamination of Patents
2263 Time for Response [R-5]
A shortened statutory period of 2 months will be set for response to Office actions in reexaminations, except *>as follows. Where< the reexamination results from a court order or litigation is stayed for purposes of reexamination, ** the shortened statutory period will be set at 1 month. >In addition, if (A) there is litigation concurrent with an ex parte reexamination proceeding and (B) the reexamination proceeding has been pending for more than one year, the Director or Deputy Director of the Office of Patent Legal Administration (OPLA), Director of the Central Reexamination Unit (CRU), Director of the Technology Center (TC) in which the reexamination is being conducted, or a Senior Legal Advisor of the OPLA, may approve Office actions in such reexamination proceeding setting a one-month or thirty days, whichever is longer, shortened statutory period for response rather than the two months usually set in reexamination proceedings. A statement at the end of the Office action - "One month or thirty days, whichever is longer, shortened statutory period approved," followed by the signature of one of these officials, will designate such approval.< See MPEP § 2286. Note, however, that this 1-month policy does NOT apply to the 2-month period for the filing of a statement under 37 CFR 1.530, which 2-month period is set by 35 U.S.C. 304.
Where a reexamination proceeding has been stayed because of a copending reissue application, and the reissue application is abandoned, all actions in the reexamination after the stay has been removed will set a 1-month shortened statutory period unless a longer period for response is clearly warranted by nature of the examiner's action; see MPEP § 2285.
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