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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">I recently had an examiner
<b>deny</b> an interview after final. I think only the second time in my career. <o:p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">He said there was new pressure within the Office to be efficient. However, there were no new references in my case and my proposed amendments were relatively minor. In Justin's
case with a new reference, the Office might have less compunction about interviewing after final. However, an interview is not guaranteed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">-Ben<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> Patentpractice <patentpractice-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Justin Miller via Patentpractice<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, September 12, 2025 11:22 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> For patent practitioners. This is not for laypersons to seek legal advice. <patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Justin Miller <justin@distinctpatentlaw.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Patentpractice] Office action made final despite new grounds of rejection<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">All,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">I am working on a utility patent application for a medical device. Received a first office action with prior art rejections. I made minor claim amendments, had an interview with the examiner, who
stated that the application appeared allowable.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">But I just received a final office action based on new prior art references.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">In the final office action, the examiner states that the action is properly final because the new grounds of rejection were necessitated by the amendments. That seems to be a stretch to me.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">Has anyone had any luck contesting finality? I have read
<a href="https://mpep.uspto.gov/RDMS/MPEP/current#/current/d0e69118.html">MPEP 706.07(a)</a>, but it seems unclear as to when the new ground of rejection is "necessitated by applicant\u2019s amendment of the claims".<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">My suspicion is that while it is possible to fight the finality of the office action, it is probably cheaper to file an RCE.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">As the bonus question, I welcome any strategies when receiving a final office action. In my experience, when I receive two rejections from the same examiner, given that I always participate in an
interview, it is often either time to abandon or appeal. But given that this rejection is substantively different I think a round of negotiation might be helpful. Perhaps I can squeeze in another interview before I respond.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">Interesting stats (page is slow to load):<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif"><a href="https://www.bipc.com/us-patent-practice-responding-to-final-rejections-so-as-to-minimize-the-need-for-rce-filings">https://www.bipc.com/us-patent-practice-responding-to-final-rejections-so-as-to-minimize-the-need-for-rce-filings</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">Thanks for reading.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#222222">Sincerely,</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#222222">Justin P. Miller</span><span style="color:#222222"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#222222">Patent Attorney</span><span style="color:#222222"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#222222">Distinct Patent Law</span><span style="color:#222222"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#222222"><a href="https://distinctpatentlaw.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155CC">https://distinctpatentlaw.com/</span></a></span><span style="color:#222222"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#222222">Office: 727.513.4590</span><span style="color:#222222"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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