1306.04    Confidential Material

Submissions filed in ex parte appeal proceedings cannot be filed under seal pursuant to a protective order unless so issued or ordered by any court or by the Board. See 37 C.F.R § 2.27(d), 37 C.F.R § 2.27(c). [ Note 1.]

In responding to an Office action in an expungement or reexamination proceeding, a registrant who wishes to submit confidential information in order to show use in commerce of the mark should redact such information and/or petition the Director under § 2.146 for permission to submit the information outside of TEAS to keep the information from becoming part of the public record. [ Note 2.]

NOTES:

 1.   See In re Bay State Brewing Co., 117 USPQ2d 1958, 1962 n.6 (TTAB 2016) (consent agreement, in addition to supporting registration, provides the public with notice of the basis on which the USPTO allowed registration). Compare Holmes Oil Co. v. Myers Cruizers of Mena Inc., 101 USPQ2d 1148, 1150 n.4 (TTAB 2011) (parties’ confidential consent agreement referred to in general terms). See also 37 C.F.R § 2.126(c)  regarding the filing of confidential submissions.

 2.   Changes to Implement Provisions of the Trademark Modernization Act of 2020, 86 FR 64300, 64313 (Nov. 17, 2021) (USPTO response to Comment 12).