Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[SHEEPDOG]

Hello everybody,

This is my first post. I would like to ask a question pertaining to how the registration exam will change to accommodate the new areas of information in the America Invents Acts (H.R. 1249).

I was thumbing through the bill and there seems to be a lot of new information in the bill itself. I would like to know when this new information will be incorporated into the MPEP and if it would be reasonable to study this materiel if you see yourself taking the registration exam in the next 6 months. I noticed that some of the legislation  had different implementation dates depending on its subject. 

As someone who is interested in all aspects of the legislative process, especially the new reform, I see myself learning this information anyways but am unsure if the registration exam would incorporate the new legislation. Thank you for any and all responses.

 

[Robert K S]

For at least the next generation it's going to greatly increase the complexity of the exam.  Students will have to learn, and will be tested on, two bodies of law.  I foresee all kinds of questions relating to filing dates and 102/103 issues, for which the first step will be to figure out which body of law applies.  Reminiscent of 1995, but greatly amplified.

[SHEEPDOG]

Thanks for your replay Robert. After combing through the law I noticed a few points that may be worth mentioning.

The Sec 135 Derivation Proceedings seems interesting and is the only portion of the bill with an immediate effective date. This may be new testable material?

The other stuff (i.e micro entities, supplemental examinations, changes to 103 and 102) all seem to have an effective dates of one year to 18 months.

I guess I'll start learning section 135 as it appears to be the only content that would be required in the next 6 months to know?

[Robert K S]

I think they give you six months' warning before the test changes.

[MarkDighton]

They give 3 months notice, generally, before adding anything to the Exam.
Mark Dighton, Esq.
Admin. Director, Patent Bar Review
PLI (Practising Law Institute)

[SHEEPDOG]

Thank you Mark and Robert for your correspondence. I will be watching the bulletin and the PTO website for any developing information and put it on this thread.