[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 134 (Thursday, July 12, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41172-41173]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-17019]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Patent and Trademark Office

[Docket No. PTO-T-2012-0028]


Trademark Board Manual of Procedure, Third Edition, Revision 1

AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (``USPTO'') 
issued the third edition, revision 1, of the Trademark Board Manual of 
Procedure (``TBMP''), and made available an archived copy of the May 6, 
2011 third edition, on June 19, 2012.

ADDRESSES: The USPTO prefers that any suggestions for improving the 
form and content of the TBMP be submitted via electronic mail message 
to [email protected]. Written comments may also be 
submitted by mail addressed to: Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, P.O. 
Box 1451, Alexandria, VA 22313-1451, marked to the attention of Cheryl 
Butler, Senior Attorney and Editor, Trademark Board Manual of 
Procedure, or by hand delivery to the Trademark Assistance Center, 
Concourse Level, James Madison Building-East Wing, 600 Dulany Street, 
Alexandria, Virginia, marked to the attention of Cheryl Butler, Senior 
Attorney and Editor, Trademark Board Manual of Procedure.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl Butler, Senior Attorney, 
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, by telephone at (571) 272-4259.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 19, 2012, the USPTO issued the first 
revision of the third edition of the TBMP. The TBMP provides Trademark 
Trial and Appeal Board (``TTAB'') judges and attorneys, trademark 
applicants and registrants, and attorneys and representatives for 
trademark applicants and registrants a comprehensive reference on the 
practices and procedures for inter partes and ex parte proceedings 
before the TTAB. The guidance provided by the manual does not have the 
force and effect of law. Its guidelines have been developed as a matter 
of internal Office management and are not intended to create any right 
or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable by any party against 
the Office. While following the guidelines in the manual will aid 
parties and their attorneys in navigating the procedures applicable to 
inter partes cases, parties and their attorneys are also free to 
discuss and agree to various

[[Page 41173]]

alternative processes that may prove more efficient and economical.
    The third edition, revision 1, incorporates TTAB practice, a minor 
change to the Trademark Act, changes to the Federal Rules of Civil 
Procedure and Federal Rules of Evidence where relevant, and case law 
reported between November 15, 2010, and March 2, 2012. The policies 
stated in this revision supersede any previous policies stated in prior 
editions or any other statement of USPTO policy, to the extent that 
there is any conflict. The TBMP may be viewed or downloaded free of 
charge from the TTAB home page of the USPTO Web site at the address: 
http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/process/appeal/index.jsp.

    Dated: July 3, 2012.
Teresa Stanek Rea,
Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Deputy 
Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2012-17019 Filed 7-11-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P