u/102orBlue

Whenever they send an email saying “We are pleased to announce,” you can bet no examiner is pleased. So we get a briefing and then you’re on your own unless you want to eat the time for an optional briefing. And no more attribute time for challenges. But we value our employees… riiiiight.

Edit: And if the challenge process is simplified without requiring examiners to research or identify a more appropriate skill group, how is the appropriate skill group determined?

I seem to be getting more “in the event a NOA is not issued, applicant requests an interview” responses. I typically do not grant any interview b/c by the time I review the amendment and formulate my response, it’s a waste of time to then try to figure out what might make the case allowable if it’s not already obvious. Typically these cases have gone several rounds so I feel like a 30 minute interview isn’t going to magically solve it. Do you guys grant these? Do you ignore the request when writing up the rejection? Just curious.

So now instead of 84 days we get 28 days to act on an RCE? I guess they realized that some examiners were letting their RCEs get to the top of the list and then sitting on them to prevent the timer from starting on the 14 day cases.