USPTO Announces Certain Extensions of Time Under CARES Act
On March 31, 2020, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced deadline extensions for certain patent and trademark-related documents and the payment of certain required fees under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). These actions, an exercise of temporary authority provided to the USPTO by the CARES Act, are an effort to provide as much relief as possible to innovators experiencing difficulties as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak consistent with the USPTO’s ability to maintain their fee-funded operations. The ultimate goal, as stated by Andrei Iancu, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO, is to, “ensure not only that inventors and entrepreneurs can weather the storm, but that they can also hit the ground running once it passes." For more information, please read the USPTO press release, or contact your COJK attorney.
