📰 Inventor News Update Title: Latest Director Discretionary Denials Deliver Good News for Patent Owners Author: Eileen McDermott, Editor-in-Chief, IPWatchdog Published: August 4, 2025 Summary: In a series of recent decisions, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) delivered encouraging news for inventors and patent holders. Acting USPTO Director Coke Morgan Stewart denied or partially denied dozens of inter partes review (IPR) petitions, citing her growing use of the “settled expectations” doctrine, which protects patent owners from late-stage challenges when their patents have been in force for a significant period of time. One notable case involved a patent granted in 2019 (just six years ago), where Stewart ruled that was long enough to create "strong settled expectations" for the owner — a first for a patent of that age. 👉 This aligns with the 6-year statute of limitations for patent infringement lawsuits and could signal stronger protections for inventors moving forward. However, the policy is also drawing attention: some legal voices argue it introduces uncertainty into how the PTAB handles challenges. 🔗 Read the full article https://ipwatchdog.com/2025/08/04/latest-director-discretionary-denials-good-news-patent-owners/id=190890

Posted by InventorNews at 2025-08-05 23:00:21 UTC