718.03(a)   Holding of Abandonment for Failure to Respond Completely

Generally, the examining attorney should not hold an application abandoned when an applicant timely files a properly signed but incomplete response to a nonfinal action (i.e., the response does not address one or more of the requirements or refusals made in the Office action) or a TEAS response to a nonfinal action consisting of only a signature or missing significant data or attachments.  See TMEP §718.03.  

The examining attorney may hold an application abandoned after final action if (1) the applicant files a properly signed but incomplete response which does not include a good-faith effort to comply and the time for responding to the final action has expired or (2) the applicant fails to respond to a notice of incomplete response.  In such cases, the examining attorney should issue an "Abandoned Due to Incomplete Response" action, without a six-month response clause (see TMEP §705.08), stating that the application is abandoned due to an incomplete response, and explaining why.  

The applicant may contact the managing attorney or senior attorney and request review of the examining attorney’s action. If the managing attorney or senior attorney believes that the holding of abandonment was improper, he or she will direct the examining attorney to reverse the holding of abandonment. Otherwise, the applicant’s recourse is to file a petition requesting that the Director exercise supervisory authority under 37 C.F.R. §2.146 and reverse the holding of abandonment. See TMEP §1713.01.

See TMEP §715.03(a) regarding action on an incomplete response to a final action before the response period has expired.