<div dir="ltr"><div>This is an interesting development. I am curious as to the mechanism to be used when "<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:calibri,candara,segoe,optima,arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">the USPTO makes a preliminary determination</span>" about the improper payment. I suppose for micro entity, a cross check of an inventor's name could be done, but what would they do for small entities?</div><div><br></div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr">Michael Brown<br>Michael J Brown Law Office<div>354 Eisenhower Parkway</div><div>Plaza I, 2nd Floor, Suite 2025<div>Livingston, NJ 07039<br><div><a href="mailto:michaeljbrownlaw@gmail.com" target="_blank">michaeljbrownlaw@gmail.com</a></div><div><a href="mailto:michael@mjbrownlaw.com" target="_blank">michael@mjbrownlaw.com</a></div><div><a href="http://www.mjbrownlaw.com" target="_blank">www.mjbrownlaw.com</a> <br>+1 973-577-6300 fax +1 973-577-6301<br></div><div>Google Voice +1 973-637-0358</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">---------- Forwarded message ---------<br>From: <strong class="gmail_sendername" dir="auto">U.S. Patent and Trademark Office</strong> <span dir="auto"><<a href="mailto:subscriptioncenter@subscriptions.uspto.gov">subscriptioncenter@subscriptions.uspto.gov</a>></span><br>Date: Thu, Jun 12, 2025 at 9:39\u202fAM<br>Subject: USPTO to assess statutory penalties for false assertions or certifications of small and micro entity status<br>To: <<a href="mailto:michaeljbrownlaw@gmail.com">michaeljbrownlaw@gmail.com</a>><br></div><br><br><div class="msg3245235044755467599"><u></u>
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The USPTO will begin implementing statutory penalties for falsely made assertions or certifications of small and micro entity status.
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<h2 style="text-align:left;line-height:1.2;font-family:calibri,candara,segoe,optima,arial,sans-serif;font-size:22px;color:#000000;margin:0 0 15px" align="left">USPTO to assess statutory penalties for false assertions or certifications of small and micro entity status</h2>
<p style="line-height:1.4;font-family:calibri,candara,segoe,optima,arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;color:#000000;text-align:left;margin:0 0 15px" align="left">The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will begin implementing statutory penalties for falsely made assertions or certifications of small and micro entity status, as part of the USPTO\u2019s continuing efforts to mitigate threats to the U.S. patent system and to protect that system\u2019s integrity.</p>
<p style="line-height:1.4;font-family:calibri,candara,segoe,optima,arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;color:#000000;text-align:left;margin:0 0 15px" align="left">As required by statute, the USPTO will assess a fine of not less than three times the amount an entity failed to appropriately pay the USPTO when the entity is found to have falsely made an assertion or certification of small or micro entity status, unless the entity shows that the assertion or certification was made in good faith. </p>
<p style="line-height:1.4;font-family:calibri,candara,segoe,optima,arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;color:#000000;text-align:left;margin:0 0 15px" align="left">The USPTO will begin issuing a combined notice of payment deficiency and order to show cause as to why a fine should not be assessed when the USPTO makes a preliminary determination that a pending patent application or patent contains a false assertion or certification that resulted in the payment of at least one fee in an unentitled reduced amount. The agency will issue a subsequent notice to provide a final determination of whether a fine is being assessed, and the fine amount, based on any timely response to the combined notice and order to show cause, and the record as a whole.</p>
<p style="line-height:1.4;font-family:calibri,candara,segoe,optima,arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;color:#000000;text-align:left;margin:0 0 15px" align="left">You can find more information in the Official Gazette Notice available on the USPTO\u2019s <a href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.uspto.gov%2Fpatents%2Flaws%2Fpatent-related-notices%2Fpatent-related-notices-2025%3Futm_campaign=subscriptioncenter%26utm_content=%26utm_medium=email%26utm_name=%26utm_source=govdelivery%26utm_term=/1/01000197645db5f0-695cf16f-916f-4ca8-9406-1420fdd1b79b-000000/M-L6thTvvv2hm256mkaRy7x3drJYnkPFHOumsY2jZ5g=409" style="color:#0000ee" target="_blank">Patent Related Notices webpage</a>.</p>
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