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<p>It took five hours, but eventually <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:TEAS@USPTO.GOV">TEAS@USPTO.GOV</a> found time to
get back to me. They said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The referenced error is being caused by a bug in form. Our
developers are currently working on a resolution. Unfortunately,
we do not have a timeframe on when the issue will be resolved.<br>
</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Which still leaves the question why is this nowhere disclosed on
USPTO's System Status page?</p>
<p>They went on to suggest trying to click on the link after
clearing all cookies and cache. That is nuts of course as I had
already tried this many hours ago. Including simply launching the
link in a different browser that has never been used for any USPTO
purpose. No, that dog won't hunt. Wasted another 20 minutes of
my professional time.</p>
<p>Then they suggest editing the trademark application, changing
from "send to another person" to "upload signed declaration". Now
of course that path only makes sense if you somehow already have a
signed declaration. It turns out that this click path is
misnamed. What really happens if you click on "upload signed
declaration" is not that you upload a signed declaration. What
really happens is you keep clicking and eventually you download a
PDF form. And then the idea is that you try to get an ink
signature by the client, on the PDF form. And then maybe you do
obtain the ink signature. In that case, you then go back and do a
repeat of the click path "upload signed declaration" and
eventually you reach a page where you can upload a signed
declaration.</p>
<p>A big drawback to this approach is that it breaks the "review and
sign" link that had already been sent to the client. Now if the
client clicks on that link, they get a big red error message that
says:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>This link has expired<br>
This happened because the preparer made changes to the
application. Please contact your application preparer for a new
link.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>So anyway, now I have edited all eight of my trademark
applications, changing all eight of them from "send to another
person" to "upload signed declaration". I have sent all eight
trademark applications to the client as PDFs, along with the eight
signature PDFs that TC generated. Hopefully eventually I will get
signed documents back from the client (who is in Europe) as
scanned PDF files.</p>
<p>Of course we have now lost the weekend, and have indeed thus lost
an extra 3 days in the "review and sign" process. These
applications claim priority European applications that were filed
almost six months ago. So the USPTO is forcing me to cut this
really really close on the six-month Paris priority period. <br>
</p>
<p>At this point it is difficult to have any level of trust that the
"upload signed declaration" click path will actually work. But
losers can't be choosers on this.<br>
</p>
<br>
<p><br>
</p>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 4/25/2025 11:02 AM, Carl Oppedahl
via E-trademarks wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:8dd71467-f1cb-4830-8d71-2b2d50d34584@oppedahl.com">
<p>Thank you for posting.</p>
<p>My disappointments today with the USPTO on this system failure
have now increased and worsened. This has inspired yet another
blog article <a
href="https://blog.oppedahl.com/uspto-fails-to-handle-system-failure-well/"
moz-do-not-send="true">USPTO fails to handle system failure
well</a>.<br>
</p>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 4/25/2025 10:58 AM, mary harris
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:BYAPR18MB373466E987351CE090DC8067DC842@BYAPR18MB3734.namprd18.prod.outlook.com">
<div class="elementToProof"> Last week and then on Monday, I had
problems with filing renewals and maintenance forms. When I
tried to save the form, the system erased all of the
information I'd input, and did NOT save the form. Had to
start over again. Then after hitting submit on the signature
request screen, I got the equivalent of the black screen of
death - the weird message we've all gotten (can't remember the
wording) and I couldn't get around it. At least the form was
saved at that point so that I could open another browser
(Firefox) and send the form to my inbox for forwarding to the
client. It's really a mess.</div>
<div class="elementToProof"> <br>
</div>
<div id="Signature" class="elementToProof">
<div> <br>
</div>
<div id="divtagdefaultwrapper" dir="ltr">
<p> <span>Mary A. Harris, Esq.</span><br>
<span>960 Toro Street</span><br>
<span>San Luis Obispo, California USA 93401</span><br>
<br>
<span><a
class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="mailto:mary@maryharrislaw.com"
moz-do-not-send="true">mary@maryharrislaw.com</a></span></p>
<p> <span><a href="http://www.maryharrislaw.com"
class="OWAAutoLink" moz-do-not-send="true">www.maryharrislaw.com</a></span></p>
<p> <br>
</p>
<p> <span>(805) 543-0855 (telephone)</span></p>
<p> <br>
</p>
<div> <span><img id="imageSelected0" width="249"
height="73" data-outlook-trace="F:1|T:1"
src="cid:part1.cNdHKZAm.h4W1vxvg@oppedahl.com"
class=""></span><br>
<br>
</div>
<p> <span>CONFIDENTIAL AND/OR ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED
COMMUNICATION</span><br>
</p>
<br>
<span>This e-mail may contain confidential and privileged
material for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any
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If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the
sender and delete all copies.</span><br>
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<hr tabindex="-1">
<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><b>From:</b> E-trademarks <a
class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E"
href="mailto:e-trademarks-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com"
moz-do-not-send="true"><e-trademarks-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com></a>
on behalf of Carl Oppedahl via E-trademarks <a
class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E"
href="mailto:e-trademarks@oppedahl-lists.com"
moz-do-not-send="true"><e-trademarks@oppedahl-lists.com></a><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, April 25, 2025 7:52 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> For trademark practitioners. This is not for
laypersons to seek legal advice. <a
class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E"
href="mailto:e-trademarks@oppedahl-lists.com"
moz-do-not-send="true"><e-trademarks@oppedahl-lists.com></a><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Carl Oppedahl <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E"
href="mailto:carl@oppedahl.com" moz-do-not-send="true"><carl@oppedahl.com></a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [E-trademarks] Signature problem
<div> </div>
</div>
<div>
<p>It is quite a disappointment to me that this failure in
Trademark Center is not acknowledged in the <a
href="https://www.uspto.gov/system-status"
moz-do-not-send="true">System status and availability</a>
web page.<br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<div class="x_moz-cite-prefix">On 4/25/2025 8:35 AM, Carl
Oppedahl via E-trademarks wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<p>I have blogged about this <a
href="https://blog.oppedahl.com/usptos-trademark-center-is-broken-for-logo-applications/"
moz-do-not-send="true"> here</a>.<br>
</p>
<div class="x_moz-cite-prefix">On 4/25/2025 8:21 AM, Carl
Oppedahl via E-trademarks wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<p>Yes exactly. I had this happen earlier today and I
failed to draw the connection that you had reported this
problem two days ago. Thankfully alert colleague Mary
Harris pointed out that you had already reported this
problem. Thank you to Mary Harris.<br>
</p>
<div class="x_moz-cite-prefix">On 4/23/2025 4:11 PM,
Russell Nugent via E-trademarks wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div class="x_elementToProof">Dear Group,</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof"><br>
</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof">I am having a trouble with
three of my drafted applications. When I (or the
client) click on the link to review and sign the
application, the link goes to the correct page and
then immediately redirects to my trademark center
docket page. It is happening on different computers
with different browsers and redrafting the
applications did not solve the problem. Has anyone
else encountered this problem?</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof"><br>
</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof"><br>
</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof"><br>
</div>
<div id="x_Signature" class="x_elementToProof">
<div>Russell D. Nugent</div>
<div>Comprising IP</div>
<div>1213 Culbreth Dr, Ste 112</div>
<div>Wilmington, NC 28405</div>
<div><a
class="x_moz-txt-link-abbreviated x_moz-txt-link-freetext moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="mailto:nugent@comprisingip.com"
moz-do-not-send="true">nugent@comprisingip.com</a>
(private)</div>
<div>910-550-3259 (private)</div>
<div><a
class="x_moz-txt-link-abbreviated x_moz-txt-link-freetext moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="mailto:contact@comprisingip.com"
moz-do-not-send="true">contact@comprisingip.com</a></div>
<div>910-509-7131</div>
</div>
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