16 Art Units are Fully Reversed on over 50% of appeals

The table below shows the appeal outcomes for BPAI/PTAB decisions since 2010 for art units with at least 20 decisions in that time period.

Although the headline of this post is negative (sadly, negative headlines get much higher click rates), first some good news:

70% of art units are completely AFFIRMED in most of their appeals.

I say this is good news because without consistency, every other refinement or proposed refinement of the patent system is a waste of time. That 70% of art units are usually affirmed (i.e., affirmed at least 51% of the time) suggests that the examiner and the BPAI/PTAB are generally on the same page. (Whether they are both on the right page is another question entirely.)

Now the bad news from the headline:

16 art units are completely REVERSED in most of their appeals.

16 art units have been completely reversed in at least 51% of their appeals since 2010. This seems way too high. Again, we are not talking about whether the rejections themselves are proper, we are just talking about the examining corps and the BPAI agreeing as to what is proper. It should not be this hard.

Prosecutors should know what they are dealing with

When deciding whether to appeal you should know the stats for the examiner and art unit you are up against. If, for example, you are dealing with art unit 3721 which has been fully reversed an astounding 289 out of 474 decisions since 2010 (no surprise to readers of MrIPLaw), maybe you want to take your chances on appeal. And/or maybe you want to file a continuation with claim language that might get you out of that art unit! Coincidentally, I just so happen to provide a tool where you can check out those statistics 😉

Art Unit	Decisions	Affirmed	Reversed	In-Part
3992	957	65%	16%	19%
3742	783	23%	57%	20%
3744	668	43%	40%	17%
3731	627	39%	44%	17%
3623	578	55%	33%	12%
3762	538	37%	43%	20%
1791	498	65%	24%	11%
3721	474	23%	61%	16%
3711	474	46%	35%	19%
2166	459	46%	32%	22%
3763	450	39%	39%	22%
3993	446	58%	20%	23%
3626	433	62%	24%	14%
3737	419	46%	36%	18%
3685	418	46%	37%	16%
1765	413	71%	23%	6%
3686	412	54%	33%	14%
3689	401	61%	23%	16%
3761	398	32%	55%	13%
3745	392	47%	34%	19%
3627	381	50%	36%	14%
3628	380	66%	26%	9%
2451	376	52%	35%	13%
3724	357	49%	36%	14%
3765	355	39%	39%	22%
1793	354	62%	29%	9%
2168	353	58%	29%	13%
1733	346	63%	29%	7%
2649	344	61%	27%	13%
2456	343	61%	26%	13%
3657	342	40%	43%	17%
2443	342	49%	33%	18%
3691	341	59%	29%	12%
2444	339	45%	38%	17%
1767	332	69%	24%	8%
3629	329	60%	29%	12%
2169	325	56%	29%	15%
2161	322	53%	33%	14%
3766	321	34%	47%	19%
1631	321	58%	31%	10%
1612	318	63%	28%	10%
2159	314	60%	29%	11%
3624	313	58%	30%	12%
2645	313	72%	18%	10%
2156	310	50%	35%	15%
2184	309	51%	35%	14%
1787	309	63%	29%	8%
1616	308	75%	18%	8%
3788	305	46%	37%	17%
2164	300	53%	33%	14%
3715	300	55%	30%	15%
3687	299	47%	40%	13%
2163	298	44%	43%	14%
2174	298	58%	31%	11%
3991	297	72%	16%	12%
3622	290	50%	36%	14%
1611	290	69%	22%	9%
1716	289	51%	40%	8%
1782	284	65%	27%	8%
1741	283	59%	33%	8%
2625	283	54%	31%	14%
1618	282	60%	30%	11%
2185	282	55%	29%	15%
3753	281	40%	38%	22%
1786	280	62%	32%	6%
1761	275	70%	21%	8%
3754	274	41%	38%	21%
2424	274	62%	25%	14%
2162	272	46%	37%	17%
1715	272	59%	31%	10%
1627	271	61%	28%	11%
1712	271	64%	28%	8%
2157	268	55%	30%	15%
3695	268	60%	26%	13%
3646	266	31%	52%	17%
2427	266	70%	17%	13%
1771	265	70%	23%	7%
2452	264	67%	23%	9%
1783	262	56%	34%	9%
3621	262	52%	32%	16%
3694	262	58%	31%	11%
1747	262	71%	23%	6%
2165	258	53%	31%	16%
2448	257	54%	30%	16%
2445	257	58%	27%	14%
2646	257	70%	19%	12%
1762	256	67%	28%	5%
3738	255	32%	45%	22%
2434	254	65%	23%	13%
1735	253	62%	30%	8%
1789	252	64%	27%	9%
1788	251	63%	30%	7%
3781	250	38%	36%	26%
3741	248	50%	31%	20%
2172	248	57%	27%	16%
3736	247	35%	45%	20%
1732	247	66%	28%	6%
3748	243	35%	50%	15%
2457	243	44%	36%	19%
3635	242	39%	46%	15%
2617	242	54%	34%	12%
3682	242	55%	31%	14%
2128	242	60%	27%	14%
2453	241	49%	30%	22%
1726	240	56%	35%	9%
2177	240	60%	24%	16%
2421	238	70%	20%	10%
2173	237	71%	20%	8%
3732	236	47%	34%	18%
2183	235	56%	33%	11%
2158	233	52%	37%	11%
2175	233	49%	34%	17%
2613	233	56%	33%	12%
2167	233	59%	30%	11%
3688	231	54%	31%	15%
3683	231	63%	28%	9%
3752	230	30%	51%	18%
1628	230	69%	23%	9%
1792	230	67%	23%	11%
3735	229	53%	32%	15%
3643	226	32%	49%	19%
2439	225	57%	27%	16%
2491	225	64%	21%	14%
2854	224	60%	34%	6%
1734	223	56%	35%	9%
3693	223	63%	26%	12%
2642	222	63%	24%	14%
3663	221	43%	43%	14%
2492	220	68%	21%	11%
3774	219	43%	42%	14%
3775	216	43%	39%	19%
3649	216	60%	31%	10%
2176	216	61%	26%	13%
2612	216	63%	24%	14%
3743	215	34%	43%	22%
2142	215	66%	20%	14%
1797	212	54%	34%	12%
2835	212	50%	33%	17%
2468	212	55%	30%	15%
3637	212	47%	30%	23%
1714	211	47%	41%	12%
2141	211	57%	27%	16%
2689	211	66%	21%	13%
2178	210	58%	29%	14%
1711	209	51%	32%	17%
3625	209	68%	21%	11%
3777	208	36%	46%	18%
1785	207	56%	33%	11%
1742	207	58%	32%	10%
3782	207	61%	24%	15%
1746	207	72%	21%	7%
1644	206	66%	24%	10%
1763	206	78%	16%	6%
1729	205	46%	42%	11%
3654	205	37%	40%	24%
3723	204	28%	51%	21%
1613	203	69%	25%	6%
3634	202	39%	42%	19%
2426	202	70%	20%	9%
3671	201	49%	33%	18%
1731	200	56%	35%	10%
3681	200	51%	33%	17%
2454	200	59%	23%	19%
1615	199	62%	29%	9%
2618	197	55%	29%	16%
1764	197	72%	17%	11%
3679	196	41%	32%	27%
2442	196	58%	27%	16%
1619	196	71%	22%	7%
2875	195	50%	34%	15%
3714	195	47%	33%	21%
1745	195	62%	32%	6%
2191	195	64%	26%	11%
2179	195	70%	18%	12%
3673	193	37%	40%	23%
2478	193	58%	26%	16%
1777	191	49%	41%	10%
3767	190	27%	54%	19%
2872	190	48%	41%	11%
2447	190	56%	33%	11%
2486	189	45%	43%	12%
1727	189	60%	33%	7%
1617	189	65%	25%	10%
2194	189	62%	25%	13%
3633	187	39%	40%	21%
2837	187	48%	38%	14%
2836	187	57%	35%	7%
3771	187	50%	35%	16%
2433	186	52%	34%	14%
2641	186	63%	23%	13%
3716	185	50%	35%	15%
2683	184	66%	21%	13%
3644	182	39%	45%	16%
2628	182	56%	27%	16%
3617	181	44%	36%	20%
2171	181	55%	27%	18%
3725	180	41%	42%	17%
2842	179	49%	41%	11%
2631	179	56%	29%	15%
2155	178	53%	35%	12%
3652	176	43%	37%	20%
2614	176	64%	28%	8%
1633	174	63%	34%	3%
3746	174	58%	30%	11%
3651	173	30%	53%	17%
3664	173	34%	46%	21%
3778	173	46%	34%	20%
2833	173	58%	29%	13%
2477	173	60%	28%	13%
2466	173	69%	20%	11%
2476	172	64%	24%	12%
3692	171	64%	27%	8%
1766	170	74%	19%	6%
3747	169	34%	56%	10%
2441	169	59%	26%	15%
2461	169	64%	24%	11%
3653	168	42%	42%	17%
2425	168	75%	15%	10%
1781	167	60%	31%	9%
3772	166	30%	48%	22%
3645	166	46%	36%	19%
2611	166	61%	29%	10%
2644	166	63%	22%	15%
2154	165	43%	44%	13%
3726	165	50%	32%	18%
3728	165	44%	31%	25%
2193	165	64%	22%	14%
2437	165	70%	20%	10%
2111	165	62%	20%	18%
3632	161	43%	39%	18%
2435	161	66%	20%	14%
2462	160	54%	33%	14%
2881	159	46%	42%	13%
2658	159	61%	31%	8%
3769	159	53%	26%	21%
3656	157	30%	52%	18%
3684	155	46%	37%	16%
1634	155	61%	28%	11%
3717	154	42%	36%	23%
1798	154	55%	32%	13%
3739	153	49%	37%	14%
2814	152	60%	28%	13%
2884	152	57%	25%	18%
3662	151	39%	48%	13%
3665	151	45%	38%	17%
2483	151	48%	38%	15%
3638	151	47%	32%	21%
1651	151	60%	30%	10%
1621	151	63%	30%	7%
2123	151	61%	26%	13%
2894	150	51%	38%	11%
2624	150	49%	34%	17%
1722	148	53%	36%	11%
2482	148	51%	36%	13%
1717	148	53%	34%	12%
1772	148	61%	30%	9%
2455	148	62%	23%	15%
2449	145	58%	32%	10%
1773	144	56%	36%	8%
2487	144	53%	31%	15%
2621	144	62%	26%	12%
2856	143	66%	25%	9%
2197	143	72%	19%	9%
3733	142	42%	38%	20%
3677	142	48%	31%	21%
2648	142	58%	20%	23%
2423	142	75%	15%	11%
3727	141	42%	41%	17%
3749	141	42%	37%	21%
3676	141	50%	35%	14%
3773	140	37%	45%	18%
2485	140	47%	42%	11%
2484	139	54%	40%	6%
1774	138	57%	29%	14%
2493	137	63%	23%	14%
1778	136	51%	38%	10%
3641	136	47%	35%	18%
1784	136	63%	29%	9%
2682	136	62%	23%	15%
2114	135	67%	21%	11%
1723	134	57%	34%	8%
2113	134	63%	23%	13%
2643	134	70%	22%	7%
2659	134	63%	21%	16%
1713	133	52%	35%	14%
2859	133	49%	35%	17%
2616	131	49%	37%	14%
1637	130	59%	32%	8%
2431	129	55%	33%	12%
3696	129	73%	19%	8%
1756	128	61%	28%	11%
3661	127	46%	39%	14%
2632	127	61%	28%	12%
2696	127	69%	23%	9%
2688	126	58%	29%	13%
2829	125	54%	38%	7%
3779	124	42%	48%	10%
2686	124	69%	24%	6%
2495	124	69%	19%	11%
2465	123	54%	33%	12%
2181	123	59%	29%	11%
2467	123	60%	24%	15%
2196	122	79%	15%	7%
2438	121	61%	27%	12%
2834	120	53%	36%	11%
2432	120	64%	23%	13%
1725	119	57%	38%	5%
2481	119	52%	36%	12%
2627	119	66%	26%	8%
3674	118	47%	41%	12%
3631	118	48%	31%	20%
2857	118	58%	29%	13%
2469	118	61%	26%	13%
2473	117	55%	32%	13%
3618	116	41%	40%	19%
1629	116	72%	19%	9%
3636	115	42%	37%	22%
2811	115	56%	26%	18%
2656	113	69%	19%	12%
2422	112	50%	35%	15%
3768	112	49%	30%	21%
2622	111	55%	32%	14%
2463	111	64%	25%	11%
2695	111	56%	25%	19%
2883	110	50%	42%	8%
2853	110	51%	41%	8%
2828	110	60%	36%	4%
2666	110	52%	30%	18%
2182	110	60%	26%	14%
2494	110	60%	21%	19%
3675	108	37%	47%	16%
1795	108	49%	41%	10%
1721	108	61%	25%	14%
1655	108	70%	19%	11%
2186	107	51%	38%	10%
3672	107	59%	21%	20%
2657	107	75%	19%	7%
2816	106	47%	44%	8%
1648	105	52%	34%	13%
2694	105	59%	27%	14%
2647	105	59%	25%	16%
3734	104	45%	39%	15%
2436	104	66%	18%	15%
2892	103	54%	40%	6%
3667	102	33%	53%	14%
3611	102	45%	31%	24%
1653	101	62%	30%	8%
1796	101	62%	29%	9%
1768	101	75%	15%	10%
2818	100	46%	46%	8%
2136	100	58%	35%	7%
2626	100	56%	31%	13%
1657	100	63%	30%	7%
2691	99	60%	29%	11%
2127	98	57%	36%	7%
1744	98	64%	29%	7%
2847	98	62%	24%	13%
1652	97	48%	39%	12%
3764	97	38%	39%	23%
2858	96	48%	38%	15%
2132	96	59%	26%	15%
1724	95	46%	44%	9%
2458	95	53%	35%	13%
2893	95	57%	33%	11%
2192	95	53%	32%	16%
2662	95	59%	28%	13%
1736	95	72%	25%	3%
1632	94	52%	38%	10%
2675	94	50%	34%	16%
2823	94	56%	28%	16%
2199	94	71%	20%	9%
2144	93	65%	29%	6%
1754	92	50%	41%	9%
3729	91	34%	58%	8%
2665	91	68%	15%	16%
1799	90	53%	38%	9%
1758	90	52%	36%	12%
2813	90	74%	17%	9%
2153	89	49%	37%	13%
2121	89	72%	12%	16%
3668	88	43%	48%	9%
2629	88	43%	41%	16%
1645	88	49%	40%	11%
2882	88	57%	30%	14%
2692	88	56%	22%	23%
2697	88	70%	19%	10%
2651	88	65%	17%	18%
2637	87	57%	29%	14%
2623	87	66%	24%	10%
2135	87	66%	21%	14%
3655	86	27%	52%	21%
2838	86	48%	41%	12%
1636	86	55%	37%	8%
2876	86	56%	30%	14%
2815	86	59%	26%	15%
2887	86	62%	23%	15%
2479	85	55%	33%	12%
3612	85	45%	31%	25%
2865	84	60%	31%	10%
2619	84	56%	30%	14%
2633	84	60%	26%	14%
2636	84	64%	21%	14%
1779	83	36%	52%	12%
1775	82	52%	38%	10%
2685	82	71%	15%	15%
2652	81	64%	28%	7%
1759	81	68%	25%	7%
1776	81	68%	22%	10%
2189	80	49%	33%	19%
2677	80	55%	29%	16%
2891	79	57%	29%	14%
2667	79	58%	28%	14%
3647	78	41%	42%	17%
2693	78	47%	35%	18%
2129	77	58%	35%	6%
2668	77	56%	31%	13%
3776	77	49%	31%	19%
2488	77	61%	27%	12%
2497	77	56%	25%	19%
1656	76	64%	33%	3%
2684	76	79%	8%	13%
1743	75	52%	40%	8%
1649	75	55%	37%	8%
2474	75	59%	33%	8%
2672	75	67%	31%	3%
1674	74	59%	36%	4%
1641	74	54%	35%	11%
2145	74	54%	30%	16%
2864	74	59%	28%	12%
2464	74	64%	19%	18%
2676	73	71%	18%	11%
3718	72	31%	49%	21%
2844	72	47%	38%	15%
2126	72	53%	32%	15%
2831	72	54%	29%	17%
3616	72	46%	29%	25%
3697	72	69%	19%	11%
1671	70	60%	36%	4%
2674	70	56%	33%	11%
2885	70	60%	26%	14%
2131	69	39%	38%	23%
2112	69	51%	35%	14%
3669	69	42%	35%	23%
2663	69	71%	22%	7%
2871	68	54%	41%	4%
2895	68	53%	38%	9%
1718	68	66%	28%	6%
2139	67	48%	40%	12%
1642	67	51%	36%	13%
2655	67	52%	28%	19%
1625	66	50%	41%	9%
1673	66	83%	12%	5%
3658	65	48%	38%	14%
2446	65	55%	35%	9%
2897	65	57%	34%	9%
2116	65	65%	20%	15%
3751	64	39%	44%	17%
2498	63	57%	27%	16%
2117	63	67%	19%	14%
2855	61	56%	33%	11%
2874	61	52%	30%	18%
2669	61	72%	23%	5%
2899	60	50%	43%	7%
2886	60	53%	30%	17%
2826	60	67%	27%	7%
2459	60	67%	20%	13%
2687	60	75%	15%	10%
2411	59	54%	32%	14%
2187	59	61%	31%	8%
2475	59	71%	17%	12%
2824	59	78%	15%	7%
1623	58	45%	31%	24%
2133	58	52%	29%	19%
1755	58	62%	24%	14%
1647	58	71%	19%	10%
2412	57	53%	37%	11%
1643	57	58%	32%	11%
2122	57	74%	19%	7%
2851	56	55%	29%	16%
1626	55	58%	38%	4%
2188	55	42%	36%	22%
2845	55	67%	25%	7%
1675	55	67%	24%	9%
3678	54	52%	24%	24%
2661	54	70%	19%	11%
2699	53	64%	30%	6%
2471	53	58%	30%	11%
2414	53	70%	26%	4%
2137	53	75%	21%	4%
2863	52	63%	33%	4%
1624	52	48%	33%	19%
2413	52	58%	25%	17%
2817	52	63%	15%	21%
3786	51	45%	37%	18%
2898	51	49%	33%	18%
2878	51	59%	24%	18%
1646	50	74%	24%	2%
2195	50	72%	20%	8%
2472	50	54%	18%	28%
2671	49	33%	49%	18%
2654	49	63%	27%	10%
2152	49	53%	22%	24%
2896	48	60%	33%	6%
2673	48	56%	23%	21%
2664	48	69%	21%	10%
2822	46	61%	26%	13%
1639	44	52%	41%	7%
2634	44	55%	34%	11%
2862	44	70%	20%	9%
2848	43	58%	37%	5%
2138	43	67%	28%	5%
1662	41	73%	22%	5%
2812	40	65%	33%	3%
1638	40	60%	33%	8%
2852	39	56%	33%	10%
2143	39	62%	28%	10%
1794	38	55%	39%	5%
2832	38	47%	34%	18%
2125	38	58%	24%	18%
1635	36	58%	25%	17%
2198	36	69%	22%	8%
2489	35	43%	46%	11%
2416	34	50%	38%	12%
3722	34	44%	35%	21%
2124	34	68%	24%	9%
3783	31	35%	39%	26%
1678	31	71%	19%	10%
1677	31	65%	16%	19%
2825	30	37%	53%	10%
1654	30	50%	40%	10%
2877	30	53%	30%	17%
2879	30	70%	17%	13%
2653	30	87%	10%	3%
2115	30	77%	7%	17%
2819	29	55%	28%	17%
3659	28	57%	36%	7%
2681	28	61%	29%	11%
2868	27	56%	30%	15%
1622	25	36%	60%	4%
2496	25	64%	28%	8%
2827	24	50%	33%	17%
OPQA	23	61%	17%	22%
2118	22	59%	18%	23%
1676	21	62%	29%	10%
2866	21	67%	24%	10%
2415	21	76%	19%	5%