Patent Office Will Try to Solidify Tribunal Changes in New Year

The US Patent and Trademark Office in 2026 will look to lock in changes to its administrative patent tribunal through a rulemaking as it fights off continued legal challenges in courts.

The PTO rolled out several directives to whittle the number of patent validity challenges the Patent Trial and Appeal Board oversees, both before and after Director John Squires was confirmed in September. It launched a rulemaking proceeding to enshrine its changes, while at least a dozen legal challenges—some of them already dismissed—sought to roll them back.

As attorneys adjust to the new landscape, here’s what they’ve got their eyes ...