Timeline for an Inter Partes Review

© 2012 VENABLE LLP

• Canbefiled(1)9monthsafterissue/reissuedateor(2)aftercompletionofpost-grantreviewforanypatentissuedbefore,on,orafterSept.16,2012.AIA§6,butnotmorethanayearafterbeingservedwithacompliant.Id.

• Hastoestablish“areasonablelikelihoodthattherequesterwouldprevailwithrespecttoatleast1oftheclaimschallengedintherequest.”Id.

• Completepetitionmustincludefilingfeeandbeservedonpatentowner.77Fed.Reg.48728(Aug.14,2012)(codifiedas37C.F.R.§42.106).

Petition to Request Inter Partes Review

Optionalresponsehastobefilednomorethan3monthsafterfilingdateofpetition.77Fed.Reg.48728(codifiedat37C.F.R.§42.107).

Preliminary Response to Petition by Patent Owner

• Onlyifreasonablelikelihoodstandardismet.77Fed.Reg.48728(codifiedas37C.F.R.§42.108).• Inter PartesReviewcanproceedonallorsomeofthechallengedclaims.Id.• Initiatedwithin3monthsofthepreliminaryresponseorthelastdayduringwhichsucharesponsecouldhavebeen

filed.AIA§6(codifying35U.S.C.§314(b)).

Institution to Inter Partes Review (no more than 6 months after petition)

• Patentownermayfileresponsetothepetitionadressinganygroundsnotalreadydenied.77Fed.Reg.48728(codifiedat37C.F.R.§42.120).

• Duedateforresponseiseitherasspecifiedinboardorderorthreemonthsafterinstitutionofpost-grantreview.Id.

Patent Owner Response

Final determination no more than 1 year after initiation of post-grant review

(Extendablebynomorethan6monthsforagoodcauseormoreifjoinder).77Fed.Reg.48727(codifiedat37C.F.R.§42.100).

PTOisauthorizedtolimitthenumberofpetitionsbutdoesnotexpecttodoso.77Fed.Reg.48688.

Undertheproposedrulesfilingsforinter partesreviewsthatarebeyondthelimitaredismissedasuntimely.77Fed.Reg.48727(codifiedat37C.F.R.§42.102).