DOJ Seeks Stay on Suit Against New Patent Rules

The U.S. Department of Justice has asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to halt all proceedings in its en banc review of controversial patent prosecution rules until after the Senate confirms a new director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The department, along with the other parties in Tafas v. Doll, is seeking the delay to give the new director an opportunity to examine the rules and determine what course the USPTO should take, including whether to rescind the rules.