<div dir="ltr"><div>The PTO's procedural rules don't require APA notice and comment, <a href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=1104278158642279094">https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=1104278158642279094</a> but do require the rest of the rulemaking pipeline -- Paperwork Reduction Act, and publication in the Federal Register.<br></div><div><br></div><div>Executive Order 13891 <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/10/15/2019-22623/promoting-the-rule-of-law-through-improved-agency-guidance-documents">https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/10/15/2019-22623/promoting-the-rule-of-law-through-improved-agency-guidance-documents</a> requires agencies to clean up acts on guidance. Two provisions might be relevant: agencies must disclaim any enforcement: "each guidance document clearly state that it does not bind the public, except as authorized by law or as incorporated into a contract" and must provide "procedures for the public to petition for withdrawal or modification of a particular guidance document, including a designation of the officials to which petitions should be directed
"</div><div><br></div><div>Executive Order 13892 <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/10/15/2019-22624/promoting-the-rule-of-law-through-transparency-and-fairness-in-civil-administrative-enforcement-and">https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/10/15/2019-22624/promoting-the-rule-of-law-through-transparency-and-fairness-in-civil-administrative-enforcement-and</a> requires <br></div><div><br></div><div style="margin-left:40px">
Guidance documents may not be used to impose new standards of conduct on persons outside the executive branch except as expressly authorized by law or as expressly incorporated into a contract. When an agency takes an administrative enforcement action, engages in adjudication, or otherwise makes a determination that has legal consequence for a person, it must establish a violation of law by applying statutes or regulations. The agency may not treat noncompliance with a standard of conduct announced solely in a guidance document as itself a violation of applicable statutes or regulations.
</div><div><br></div><div>These two include the same disclaimer that appears at the bottom of all executive orders: "
This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person." Except that this President likes to fire people that cross him.<br></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Wed, Jun 11, 2025 at 4:12\u202fAM Dan Feigelson via Patentcenter <<a href="mailto:patentcenter@oppedahl-lists.com">patentcenter@oppedahl-lists.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><img width="1" height="1" src="https://gcfagjf.r.af.d.sendibt2.com/tr/op/JzkMhD9JO0ZR3zs5FDeavy8k5bv48PIvl50svkMJL8qGfBnrpDCETCKZCEhzTrmfYs-Pt5FCCiK9V6X6qSSpFz2hWZ8lnd7fbcH6awEm33y8pSQeBv7ydz_sP1kxIx4x0BRvcY4tFJuCAEv9v7KyM1xtj5fdxjCSDFUjvuLOsdU-UsNYevI3jKxFtq7hLeqyinhXuv5pIdVrndOyyGo3c-tEbeF5Yurqgw"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div>Agree that it's unlikely to ever be cost-effective to sue, but still worth knowing if those ADS instructions would stand up to scrutiny if someone DID decide to sue.</div><div><br></div>Dan</div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Wed, Jun 11, 2025 at 5:43\u202fAM Scott Nielson <<a href="mailto:scnielson@outlook.com" target="_blank">scnielson@outlook.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div>
<div dir="ltr">
<div style="font-family:"Aptos Serif",Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)">
The ADS instructions require domestic benefit claims to be listed in order of filing from most recent at the top to oldest at the bottom or they will not be recognized the benefit claim (happened to me last fall because I let Patent Center Autofill the benefit
claim and the programmers didn't follow the ADS instructions). They probably aren't legally binding but who will sue the PTO to get them overturned?</div>
<div style="font-family:"Aptos Serif",Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)">
<br>
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<div style="font-family:"Aptos Serif",Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)">
In Robert's situation, it doesn't really matter whether they have the force of rules because he followed them.</div></div>
</div></blockquote></div></div>
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