(433) DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
United States Patent and Trademark Office
Docket No. PTO-T-2009-0045
Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure, Sixth Edition
AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Commerce
ACTION: Notice
SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO") issued
the sixth edition of the Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure ("TMEP")
on October 12, 2009.
ADDRESSES: The USPTO prefers that any suggestions for improving the form
and content of the TMEP be submitted via electronic mail message to
tmtmep@uspto.gov. Written comments may also be submitted by mail addressed
to: Commissioner for Trademarks, P.O. Box 1451, Alexandria, VA 22313-1451,
marked to the attention of Editor, Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure,
or by hand delivery to the Trademark Assistance Center, Concourse Level,
James Madison Building-East Wing, 600 Dulany Street, Alexandria, Virginia,
marked to the attention of Editor, Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary E. Hannon, Office of the Deputy
Commissioner for Trademark Examination Policy, by electronic mail at:
mary.hannon@uspto.gov; or by mail addressed to: Commissioner for Trademarks,
P.O. Box 1451, Alexandria, VA 22313-1451, marked to the attention of Mary E.
Hannon.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
On October 12, 2009, the USPTO issued the sixth edition of the TMEP, which
provides USPTO trademark examining attorneys, trademark applicants, and
attorneys and representatives for trademark applicants with a reference on
the practices and procedures for prosecution of applications to register
marks in the USPTO. The TMEP contains guidelines for examining attorneys and
materials in the nature of information and interpretation, and outlines the
procedures which examining attorneys are required or authorized to follow in
the examination of trademark applications.
The sixth edition incorporates USPTO trademark practice and relevant case
law reported prior to September 1, 2009. The policies stated in this revision
supersede any previous policies stated in prior editions, examination guides,
or any other statement of USPTO policy, to the extent that there is any
conflict.
The TMEP may be viewed or downloaded free of charge from the USPTO Web
site at http://tess2.uspto.gov/tmdb/tmep/.
October 19, 2009 DAVID J. KAPPOS
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and
Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office
[1348 TMOG 310]