904.01    Access During Appeal To Federal Circuit

Board file records are maintained electronically and may be accessed, even during an appeal, through TTABVUE. When it deems necessary, the Federal Circuit may, on motion or sua sponte, order transmission (via the Office of the Solicitor) of certified copies of the record, or portions thereof, or the physical exhibits, at any time during the pendency of the appeal. [ Note 1.]

Application and registration file records are maintained electronically by the USPTO and may be accessed, even during an appeal, through TSDR.

Nonconfidential submissions filed with the Board may be viewed online at any time through the publicly available TTABVUE system, accessible at www.ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue. The TTABVUE database contains most Board proceedings since 2001. To inspect or copy one of the paper files, contact the National Archives and Records Administration, www.archives.gov/research. For further information regarding the inspection and copying of older paper files, see TBMP § 120.01.

Any portions of the record that are subject to a protective order may be inspected and copied only in accordance with the terms of the protective order, unless the Federal Circuit amends, modifies, or annuls the protective order, in which case access by a party, or its attorney or other authorized representative, to the record will be governed by the Court's order. [ Note 2.]

NOTES:

 1.   Trademark Act § 21(a)(3), 15 U.S.C. § 1071(a)(3); Fed. Cir. R. 17(a).

 2.   Fed. Cir. R. 17(d) and 17(e).