Tap any paragraph to write a margin note. Your notes collect in the Desk below the text and file under cases with @. The side-by-side margin rail opens on a larger screen.

Code · U.S. Code · Title 35 - PATENTS · CHAPTER 1— ESTABLISHMENT, OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES, FUNCTIONS · § 6

§ 6. Patent Trial and Appeal Board

1,115 words·~5 min read·/usc/title-35/section-6

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

(a)In General.— There shall be in the Office a Patent Trial and Appeal Board. The Director, the Deputy Director, the Commissioner for Patents, the Commissioner for Trademarks, and the administrative patent judges shall constitute the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. The administrative patent judges shall be persons of competent legal knowledge and scientific ability who are appointed by the Secretary, in consultation with the Director. Any reference in any Federal law, Executive order, rule, regulation, or delegation of authority, or any document of or pertaining to the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences is deemed to refer to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.
(b)Duties.— The Patent Trial and Appeal Board shall—
(1)on written appeal of an applicant, review adverse decisions of examiners upon applications for patents pursuant to section 134(a);
(2)review appeals of reexaminations pursuant to section 134(b);
(3)conduct derivation proceedings pursuant to section 135; and
(4)conduct inter partes reviews and post-grant reviews pursuant to chapters 31 and 32.
(c)3-Member Panels.— Each appeal, derivation proceeding, post-grant review, and inter partes review shall be heard by at least 3 members of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, who shall be designated by the Director. Only the Patent Trial and Appeal Board may grant rehearings.
(d)Treatment of Prior Appointments.— The Secretary of Commerce may, in the Secretary’s discretion, deem the appointment of an administrative patent judge who, before the date of the enactment of this subsection, held office pursuant to an appointment by the Director to take effect on the date on which the Director initially appointed the administrative patent judge. It shall be a defense to a challenge to the appointment of an administrative patent judge on the basis of the judge’s having been originally appointed by the Director that the administrative patent judge so appointed was acting as a de facto officer.
(Added Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4717(2)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–580; amended Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title III, § 13203(a)(2), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1902; Pub. L. 110–313, § 1(a)(1), Aug. 12, 2008, 122 Stat. 3014; Pub. L. 112–29, § 7(a)(1), Sept. 16, 2011, 125 Stat. 313.)
Connections183 cite this · traces to 6
Cited by 183 sections · top 60
register
28 references not yet in our index
  • Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4717(2)]
  • 113 Stat. 1536
  • Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title III, § 13203(a)(2)
  • 116 Stat. 1902
  • Pub. L. 110–313, § 1(a)(1)
  • 122 Stat. 3014
  • Pub. L. 112–29, § 7(a)(1)
  • 125 Stat. 313
  • Pub. L. 112–29
  • July 19, 1952, ch. 950
  • 66 Stat. 793
  • Pub. L. 92–132
  • 85 Stat. 364
  • Pub. L. 93–596, § 1
  • 88 Stat. 1949
  • Pub. L. 94–131, § 2
  • 89 Stat. 690
  • Pub. L. 97–247
  • 96 Stat. 320
  • Pub. L. 102–204, § 8
  • 105 Stat. 1641
  • Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(9) [title IV, §§ 4715(a), 4731]
  • Pub. L. 110–313, § 1(a)(1)(A)
  • Pub. L. 110–313, § 1(a)(1)(C)
  • Pub. L. 107–273
  • Pub. L. 112–29, § 7(e)
  • 125 Stat. 315
  • Pub. L. 106–113
Citation graph
cites case law
§ 6
Patent Trial and Appeal Board
Fed. Reg.×156
C.F.R.×16
U.S.C.×7
Stat.×3
Stat. Comp.×1
Pub. L.Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4717(2)]
Stat.113 Stat. 1536
Pub. L.Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title III, § 13203(a)(2)
Stat.116 Stat. 1902
Pub. L.Pub. L. 110–313, § 1(a)(1)
Cites 34 · showing 11Cited by 183 across 5 sources
★   the supreme law of the land   ★
Don't Tread on Me
E Pluribus Unum — out of many, one

"If you don't know your rights, you don't have any."

Marginalia · a citizen's law index
A research desk, not legal advice. Always read the cited source before relying on a summary.
Questions or an issue? support@self-law.org
disclaimerMarginalia is a research index, not a law firm. Nothing on this site is legal, tax, or financial advice and no attorney–client relationship is formed by using it. Statutes, regulations, and case law change; summaries, search results, AI output, and member posts may be incomplete, out of date, or wrong. Any interpretation drawn from material on this site should be validated by a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before you act on it.