USPTO Extends Successful Pilot Program Helping First-time Patent Filers

Excerpt:  “The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today announced the extension of the First-Time Filer Expedited Examination Pilot Program. This pilot program permits patent applications from eligible first-time filers to be advanced out-of-turn for examination and reviewed earlier (also known as being “accorded special status”). Eligible applications will receive expedited initial written feedback from patent examiners, known as the ‘first office action.’ … In the first 12 months of the pilot, over 350 petitions requesting to participate have been filed, with more than 142 accepted, and 15 patents have been granted. The extended pilot program will run from March 11, 2024, until either March 11, 2025, or the date the USPTO grants a total of 1,000 petitions since the start of the pilot program, whichever occurs first.”