Petitions processed by the Office of Petitions—link to Chapter 1000 of the MPEP

Petition Helpdesk (571) 272-3282
• The receptionist can answer basic questions such as has the petition been entered and generally how long it may take for certain types of petitions to be decided.
• The Petition Attorneys who operate the Helpdesk can answer more in depth questions.

Petitions decided within the Technology Centers—link to Chapter 1000 of the MPEP
• Quality Assurance Specialists (QAS) typically draft petition decisions for TC Group Director review.
• QAS names and phone numbers are provided in the patent Management Roster.

Patents Ombudsman Program (571-272-5555 or 855-559-8589)
• The Patents Ombudsman provides assistance to applicants and attorneys throughout the application process when the normal processing has stalled.
• Please note - the Patents Ombudsman Program is not intended to circumvent normal communication between applicants or their representatives and examiners or supervisory patent examiners (SPEs) or TC Directors.