802.03(b) Attendance by Video Conference
For hearings held at the offices of the Board, a party may request attendance via video conference from another location. A video conference will be conducted in the same manner as if conducted entirely in the hearing room.
When a party submits its written request for an oral hearing, it should indicate if it is also requesting to attend by video conference. A request to attend a hearing by video conference may also be made in response to the Board order which issues after a party submits a request for oral hearing. Otherwise, a party is expected to appear in person unless it has clearly stated, in its initial request for oral hearing or in its response to the Board’s order, its intent to participate by video conference. A party that has not timely and clearly stated its intent to participate by video conference may not be able to switch to video participation without also rescheduling any already scheduled date for the hearing.
The USPTO does not provide the parties with the means to participate by video conference. The party requesting attendance at the oral hearing through a video conference is responsible for arranging and paying for its video connection. The Board cannot assist the party in this endeavor. The requesting party also is responsible for contacting a USPTO video conference technician by email at VTCOPSDISTLIST@USPTO.gov no fewer than three business days before the confirmed hearing date to provide the proceeding number(s), the date/time of the hearing, and the type of equipment that the party plans to use. A USPTO video conference technician will schedule a test of the equipment the party plans to use. The Board will liberally grant remote attendance, but retains discretion to account for any technological limitations. [ Note 1.]
For information concerning requests to reset an oral hearing, see TBMP § 541.01.
NOTES:
1. 37 C.F.R. § 2.129(a). MISCELLANEOUS CHANGES TO TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD RULES OF PRACTICE, 81 Fed. Reg. 69950, 69968 (October 7, 2016).