Appeals from the BPAI in Ex Parte Reexams

Dennis Crouch has an interesting post from yesterday at PatentlyO on conflicting statutory provisions providing for appeals of rejections by the BPAI in ex parte reexamination proceedings, namely whether the patentee can appeal to the District of DC, or whether the Federal Circuit has exclusive jurisdiction over such appeals.   Addressing this issue in Sigram Schindler v. Kappos, 2009 WL 4981473 (E.D. Va. Dec. 18, 2009), the Eastern District of Virginia agreed with the PTO's interpretation (found in 37 C.F.R. § 1.303 and in MPEP § 2279) that section 141 controls, and that appeals lie only at the Federal Circuit. 

The Reexamination Center also has a good discussion of this issue here. 

Click here to return to the homepage of the Rocket Docket IP Litigation Blog.