When the USPTO pushes back
Refusals, deadlines and what they actually mean. Most refusals are answerable; the ones that end applications are usually the ones nobody answered in time.
The Office Action Deadline Is the Only Thing That Actually Ends Applications
Refusals are survivable. Silence is not. The applications that die are almost never the ones with the worst refusal — they are the ones nobody answered in time.
2 min readOffice actionsYou Received a USPTO Office Action. Here Is What to Do This Week.
The letter looks worse than it usually is. Most refusals are answerable, and some you can answer yourself without paying anyone.
2 min readOffice actionsNike Got a 2(d) Refusal. Here's What Small Brands Should Take From It.
The USPTO refused Nike's application for a B9 logo over a golf apparel brand's registration. The lesson is not that Nike erred - it is that the rule applies to everyone.
3 min readOffice actionsWhat a Final Office Action Actually Leaves You
The word final describes the examiner's position, not your options. What closes the file is the same thing that always closes it, which is the date printed on the letter.
3 min readOffice actionsAbandoned Trademark Application? How Reviving One Works
An abandoned application is not always the end. There is a petition for it, a short clock, and a list of things the USPTO wants to see. Here is the plain version.
3 min read