35 U.S.C. § 21 — Filing date and day for taking action

Page 21 TITLE 35—PATENTS § 22 [§ 14. Renumbered § 13] CHAPTER 2—PROCEEDINGS IN THE PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE Sec. 21. Filing date and day for taking action. 22. Printing of papers filed. 23. Testimony in Patent and Trademark Office cases. 24. Subpoenas, witnesses. 25. Declaration in lieu of oath. 26. Effect of defective execution. 27. Revival of applications; reinstatement of re- examination proceedings. 28. Award of certificates to accelerate certain matters at the Patent and Trademark Of- fice. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2022—Pub. L. 117–245, § 2(c), Dec. 20, 2022, 136 Stat. 2344, added item 28. 2012—Pub. L. 112–211, title II, § 201(b)(2), Dec. 18, 2012, 126 Stat. 1534, added item 27. 2002—Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title III, § 13206(a)(5), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1904, substituted ‘‘Filing date and day for taking action’’ for ‘‘Day for taking action falling on Saturday, Sunday, or holiday’’ in item 21. 1975—Pub. L. 93–596, § 1, Jan. 2, 1975, 88 Stat. 1949, sub- stituted ‘‘Patent and Trademark Office’’ for ‘‘Patent Office’’ in chapter heading and in item 23. 1964—Pub. L. 88–292, § 2, Mar. 26, 1964, 78 Stat. 171, added items 25 and 26. § 21. Filing date and day for taking action (a) The Director may by rule prescribe that any paper or fee required to be filed in the Pat- ent and Trademark Office will be considered filed in the Office on the date on which it was deposited with the United States Postal Service or would have been deposited with the United States Postal Service but for postal service interruptions or emergencies designated by the Director. (b) When the day, or the last day, for taking any action or paying any fee in the United States Patent and Trademark Office falls on Saturday, Sunday, or a Federal holiday within the District of Columbia, the action may be taken, or the fee paid, on the next succeeding secular or business day. (July 19, 1952, ch. 950, 66 Stat. 794; Pub. L. 93–596, § 1, Jan. 2, 1975, 88 Stat. 1949; Pub. L. 97–247, § 12, Aug. 27, 1982, 96 Stat. 321; Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4732(a)(10)(A)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–582; Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title III, § 13206(b)(1)(B), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1906.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES Based on Title 35, U.S.C., 1946 ed., § 21 (Mar. 2, 1927, ch. 273, § 14, 44 Stat. 1337). ‘‘Fixed by statute’’ is omitted from the corresponding section of the existing statute as unnecessary. Satur- day is added as a day on which action need not be taken. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2002—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–273 made technical cor- rection to directory language of Pub. L. 106–113. See 1999 Amendment note below. 1999—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 106–113, as amended by Pub. L. 107–273, substituted ‘‘Director’’ for ‘‘Commissioner’’ in two places. 1982—Pub. L. 97–247 substituted ‘‘Filing date and day for taking action’’ for ‘‘Day for taking action falling on Saturday, Sunday, or holiday’’ as section catchline, added subsec. (a), redesignated existing provisions as subsec. (b) and inserted ‘‘Federal’’ after ‘‘Sunday, or a’’. 1975—Pub. L. 93–596 substituted ‘‘Patent and Trade- mark Office’’ for ‘‘Patent Office’’. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1999 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 106–113 effective 4 months after Nov. 29, 1999, see section 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4731] of Pub. L. 106–113, set out as a note under section 1 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1982 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 97–247 effective six months after Aug. 27, 1982, see section 17(c) of Pub. L. 97–247, set out as an Effective Date note under section 294 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1975 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 93–596 effective Jan. 2, 1975, see section 4 of Pub. L. 93–596, set out as a note under section 1111 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade. EMERGENCY RELIEF FROM POSTAL SITUATION AFFECTING PATENT CASES Relief as to filing date of patent application or patent and excusal of delayed fees or actions affected by postal situation beginning on Mar. 18, 1970, and ending on or about Mar. 30, 1970, see note set out under section 111 of this title. § 22. Printing of papers filed The Director may require papers filed in the Patent and Trademark Office to be printed, typewritten, or on an electronic medium. (July 19, 1952, ch. 950, 66 Stat. 795; Pub. L. 93–596, § 1, Jan. 2, 1975, 88 Stat. 1949; Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(9) [title IV, §§ 4732(a)(10)(A), 4804(a)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–582, 1501A–589; Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title III, § 13206(b)(1)(B), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1906.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES Based on Title 35, U.S.C., 1946 ed., § 12 (R.S. 488). Language is changed and ‘‘or typewritten’’ is added after ‘‘printed’’. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2002—Pub. L. 107–273 made technical correction to di- rectory language of Pub. L. 106–113, § 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4732(a)(10)(A)]. See 1999 Amendment note below. 1999—Pub. L. 106–113, § 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4804(a)], substituted ‘‘printed, typewritten, or on an electronic medium’’ for ‘‘printed or typewritten’’. Pub. L. 106–113, § 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4732(a)(10)(A)], as amended by Pub. L. 107–273, substituted ‘‘Director’’ for ‘‘Commissioner’’. 1975—Pub. L. 93–596 substituted ‘‘Patent and Trade- mark Office’’ for ‘‘Patent Office’’. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1999 AMENDMENT Amendment by section 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4732(a)(10)(A)] of Pub. L. 106–113 effective 4 months