A new temporary pilot program in the US PTO will speed up appeals in patent applications before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). The program, which went into effect on July 2, 2020, is called the “Fast Track Appeals Pilot Program.” The program is limited to 125 appeals per quarter.

The PTO instituted the pilot program because of the popularity of its Track I Prioritized Examination Program for patent applications. Under that program, an applicant can petition the PTO for expedited prosecution when filing a new application by paying an extra fee and limiting the number of claims. The Track I program is limited to 12,000 applications per year, and has been very successful. In 2019, 2.7% of the applications filed were under the Track I program.
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