Patent Chief Takes Over Validity-Challenge Screening Role (1)

US Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires is taking over the task of deciding whether to grant or reject petitions seeking to challenge the validity of patents at an agency tribunal.

Squires wrote in an open letter and memo Friday that he would be “reclaiming the Director’s statutory role” to screen challenges based on both a set of discretionary factors and their merits. In an accompanying memo, Squires said that he would issue summary notices granting or denying institution of validity reviews at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. The process would be done in consultation with at least ...