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Simple English definitions for legal terms
before first action
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A quick definition of before first action:
Before first action refers to the period of time after a patent application has been filed, but before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office examiner has sent any official communication. During this time, the applicant may submit additional information or make changes to the application.
A more thorough explanation:
BEFORE FIRST ACTION
Before first action is a term used in patents. It refers to the period of time after a patent application has been filed, but before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office examiner has sent any office action. During this time, the applicant may file an information disclosure statement or preliminary amendments.
Example 1: John filed a patent application for his new invention. He received a notice from the USPTO that his application had been received and was being reviewed. However, he had not yet received any office action from the examiner. This is the period of time known as before first action.
Example 2: Mary filed a patent application for her new software program. She wanted to make sure that the examiner was aware of all the relevant prior art, so she filed an information disclosure statement before first action.
Before first action is the time period after a patent application has been filed, but before the examiner has sent any office action. During this time, the applicant may file additional documents, such as an information disclosure statement or preliminary amendments. These documents can help ensure that the examiner has all the necessary information to make an informed decision about the patent application.