(a) All inter partes reexamination proceedings, including any appeals to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, will be conducted with special dispatch within the Office, unless the Director makes a determination that there is good cause for suspending the reexamination proceeding.

(b) The inter partes reexamination proceeding will be conducted in accordance with §§1.104 through 1.116, the sections governing the application examination process, and will result in the issuance of an inter partes reexamination certificate under §1.997, except as otherwise provided.

(c) All communications between the Office and the parties to the inter partes reexamination which are directed to the merits of the proceeding must be in writing and filed with the Office for entry into the record of the proceeding.

(d) A petition in an inter partes reexamination proceeding must be accompanied by the fee set forth in §1.20(c)(6), except for petitions under §1.956 to extend the period for response by a patent owner, petitions under §1.958 to accept a delayed response by a patent owner, petitions under §1.78 to accept an unintentionally delayed benefit claim, and petitions under §1.530(l) for correction of inventorship in a reexamination proceeding.

[65 FR 76777, as amended at 77 FR 46628, Aug. 6, 2012; 77 FR 48853, Aug. 14, 2012]