[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 37, Volume 1]
[Revised as of July 1, 2008]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 37CFR1.59]

[Page 59]
 
              TITLE 37--PATENTS, TRADEMARKS, AND COPYRIGHTS
 
  CHAPTER I--UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                                COMMERCE
 
PART 1_RULES OF PRACTICE IN PATENT CASES--Table of Contents
 
                Subpart B_National Processing Provisions
 
Sec. 1.59  Expungement of information or copy of papers in application file.

    (a)(1) Information in an application will not be expunged, except as 
provided in paragraph (b) of this section or Sec. 41.7(a) of this 
title.
    (2) Information forming part of the original disclosure (i.e., 
written specification including the claims, drawings, and any 
preliminary amendment specifically incorporated into an executed oath or 
declaration under Sec. Sec. 1.63 and 1.175) will not be expunged from 
the application file.
    (b) An applicant may request that the Office expunge information, 
other than what is excluded by paragraph (a)(2) of this section, by 
filing a petition under this paragraph. Any petition to expunge 
information from an application must include the fee set forth in Sec. 
1.17(g) and establish to the satisfaction of the Director that the 
expungement of the information is appropriate in which case a notice 
granting the petition for expungement will be provided.
    (c) Upon request by an applicant and payment of the fee specified in 
Sec. 1.19(b), the Office will furnish copies of an application, unless 
the application has been disposed of (see Sec. Sec. 1.53(e), (f) and 
(g)). The Office cannot provide or certify copies of an application that 
has been disposed of.

[68 FR 38628, June 30, 2003, as amended at 69 FR 49999, Aug. 12, 2004; 
69 FR 56540, Sept. 21, 2004]