Budget Crisis Derails The PTO Fast Track

Due to a $300 million shortfall in the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office's (Patent Office) 2011 fiscal year budget, the Patent Office's fast track train has been officially derailed. According to Director Kappos, there is currently no estimate as to if or when it might get back on track.

In a previous client alert,¹ we reported that the Patent Office would be implementing a new initiative called "Track I," which was to begin May 4, 2011. The new initiative would have allowed patent applicants the opportunity to accelerate the examination process of a newly filed application in lieu of a $4,000 payment as long as certain procedural requirements were met.² Director David Kappos, however, announced via his blog³ on April 22, that the Track I initiative would be postponed until further notice.