What Happens After An Appeal Brief? (More Art Unit Appeal Stats)

In my previous two posts I looked at timing of ex parte appeals and art unit affirmance/reversal rates. Here I am going to continue with the theme of ex parte appeals. Specifically, how many appeal briefs are filed and what happens after they are filed?

 0.53 answers for every appeal brief; 0.44 PTAB decisions for every answer

Appeal Briefs	Answers	Answers per Brief	Decisions	Decisions per Answer
43,132	24,288	0.53	10,607	0.44

As shown in the table above, there is a roughly 52% chance that an appeal brief will result in an examiner answer. I was too lazy to generate a breakdown of what happened instead the other 47%, but I promise to do that in a future post.

When the examiner does answer, there is approximately a 44% chance that it will go all the way to a PTAB decision. Again, what happens in the other 56% will be looked at in a future post (go ahead and subscribe so you don’t miss it).

The average art unit had 110 appeal briefs, 62 examiner answers, and 27 decisions in the past 3 years

The first table below shows the overall stats. The second table gives a breakdown by art unit.

Appeal Briefs (Avg)	Appeal Briefs (Std Dev)	Answers (Avg)	Answers (Std Dev)	Decisions (Avg)	Decisions (Std Dev)
110.0	71.2	62.0	47.1	27.1	17.6

ArtUnit	Briefs	Answers_Briefs	Decisions_Answers
3737	490	0.555102	0.400735
3744	461	0.553145	0.454901
3686	447	0.581655	0.330769
3742	439	0.624145	0.456204
3731	415	0.496385	0.364077
3626	392	0.698979	0.332116
3762	375	0.557333	0.397129
3745	361	0.634349	0.458515
3623	353	0.787535	0.39928
3691	317	0.760252	0.377593
3683	300	0.756666	0.295154
3763	298	0.409395	0.467213
3624	281	0.761565	0.294392
3693	269	0.799256	0.32093
3747	269	0.442379	0.411764
3711	268	0.559701	0.4
3715	268	0.496268	0.323308
3681	267	0.71161	0.226315
1631	259	0.710424	0.429347
3685	253	0.648221	0.243902
1793	252	0.615079	0.4
3627	252	0.496031	0.376
3697	246	0.772357	0.247368
3696	245	0.771428	0.354497
3692	242	0.623966	0.225165
3765	242	0.557851	0.451851
3724	235	0.378723	0.325842
3735	235	0.540425	0.299212
3689	230	0.743478	0.339181
3721	229	0.532751	0.385245
3687	225	0.413333	0.397849
1791	223	0.636771	0.450704
3695	223	0.690582	0.305194
3625	219	0.62557	0.386861
3621	217	0.72811	0.303797
1619	216	0.652777	0.255319
3682	216	0.62037	0.283582
3741	215	0.618604	0.481203
2649	208	0.447115	0.526881
3688	206	0.718446	0.283783
3628	198	0.777777	0.344155
3629	197	0.756345	0.308724
3743	196	0.474489	0.516129
3736	192	0.520833	0.33
2872	190	0.4	0.342105
2875	186	0.376344	0.471428
2486	183	0.57377	0.47619
2837	183	0.36612	0.373134
3622	180	0.633333	0.263157
1792	179	0.631284	0.38938
3716	178	0.516853	0.358695
1611	174	0.637931	0.369369
1612	166	0.614457	0.333333
1628	164	0.603658	0.363636
1747	164	0.579268	0.431578
1616	160	0.6375	0.40196
3739	160	0.58125	0.301075
1712	157	0.55414	0.402298
3649	156	0.602564	0.542553
1788	155	0.677419	0.390476
1733	154	0.512987	0.582278
2859	154	0.350649	0.37037
3753	154	0.623376	0.385416
1613	151	0.649006	0.357142
1618	151	0.662251	0.37
3675	151	0.304635	0.47826
3754	151	0.543046	0.439024
1787	150	0.773333	0.525862
1783	149	0.71812	0.383177
3714	149	0.489932	0.287671
1617	148	0.621621	0.358695
3694	146	0.746575	0.376146
2174	145	0.634482	0.565217
2646	143	0.48951	0.5
3662	143	0.41958	0.5
2645	142	0.556338	0.518987
3723	142	0.514084	0.452054
3746	142	0.492957	0.285714
3761	139	0.438848	0.426229
2856	138	0.355072	0.408163
3684	138	0.637681	0.329545
2457	137	0.452554	0.580645
3778	135	0.333333	0.333333
3643	134	0.492537	0.439393
1717	133	0.548872	0.452054
1651	132	0.681818	0.5
2159	130	0.576923	0.52
2836	130	0.353846	0.434782
3772	130	0.46923	0.426229
1767	128	0.546875	0.485714
2449	127	0.527559	0.537313
1771	126	0.460317	0.327586
2658	126	0.626984	0.49367
3774	126	0.45238	0.333333
1627	125	0.648	0.407407
1732	125	0.52	0.36923
1789	124	0.653225	0.469135
2197	122	0.393442	0.520833
3782	122	0.680327	0.493975
2468	121	0.487603	0.542372
2483	120	0.775	0.430107
3788	120	0.575	0.463768
2491	118	0.627118	0.472972
2842	118	0.533898	0.396825
2158	117	0.641025	0.466666
2454	117	0.572649	0.567164
2884	117	0.367521	0.534883
3752	117	0.547008	0.453125
1761	116	0.603448	0.4
3638	116	0.594827	0.463768
1734	115	0.617391	0.380281
2689	115	0.617391	0.56338
2865	115	0.582608	0.358208
3748	113	0.39823	0.555555
2128	112	0.651785	0.589041
2165	112	0.526785	0.627118
2487	112	0.651785	0.520547
2864	112	0.651785	0.438356
3645	112	0.508928	0.508771
3654	112	0.446428	0.56
3726	112	0.392857	0.522727
1634	111	0.567567	0.31746
2425	111	0.576576	0.546875
2625	111	0.72072	0.5625
1777	110	0.563636	0.467741
1782	110	0.654545	0.486111
2153	110	0.536363	0.610169
1741	109	0.678899	0.337837
2462	109	0.504587	0.545454
3646	109	0.614678	0.432835
3669	109	0.541284	0.525423
3732	108	0.648148	0.342857
1653	106	0.650943	0.347826
1746	105	0.533333	0.535714
1781	105	0.55238	0.465517
2613	105	0.761904	0.6625
3771	105	0.647619	0.441176
1721	104	0.576923	0.5
2176	104	0.673076	0.471428
3674	104	0.461538	0.354166
3781	104	0.51923	0.37037
1766	103	0.572815	0.440677
3663	103	0.446601	0.456521
3665	103	0.514563	0.35849
1735	102	0.470588	0.5
1764	102	0.549019	0.553571
1797	102	0.480392	0.510204
2157	102	0.598039	0.57377
2854	101	0.594059	0.616666
3651	101	0.415841	0.45238
2683	100	0.65	0.630769
2838	100	0.35	0.4
1716	99	0.565656	0.303571
1726	99	0.444444	0.25
2145	99	0.575757	0.473684
3671	99	0.393939	0.51282
2482	98	0.714285	0.571428
3657	98	0.60204	0.508474
3679	98	0.418367	0.414634
2465	97	0.494845	0.5
1718	96	0.739583	0.464788
2141	96	0.614583	0.542372
1765	94	0.563829	0.660377
1786	94	0.659574	0.48387
2461	94	0.659574	0.629032
1711	93	0.44086	0.634146
1742	93	0.365591	0.529411
2194	93	0.48387	0.6
2426	93	0.580645	0.648148
2447	93	0.397849	0.54054
1729	92	0.467391	0.44186
3717	92	0.326086	0.433333
2485	91	0.538461	0.653061
1621	90	0.455555	0.170731
1714	90	0.533333	0.479166
1723	90	0.622222	0.339285
2142	90	0.622222	0.660714
2456	90	0.5	0.488888
2862	90	0.622222	0.339285
3668	90	0.588888	0.490566
1633	89	0.651685	0.310344
2156	89	0.505617	0.6
2172	89	0.617977	0.490909
2443	89	0.595505	0.377358
3738	89	0.674157	0.216666
3775	89	0.539325	0.4375
2173	88	0.738636	0.56923
2182	88	0.727272	0.625
2632	88	0.556818	0.530612
2657	88	0.681818	0.483333
1644	87	0.724137	0.428571
2154	87	0.632183	0.636363
2169	87	0.643678	0.660714
2439	87	0.540229	0.468085
1763	86	0.523255	0.622222
2445	86	0.476744	0.609756
2448	86	0.44186	0.526315
2835	86	0.546511	0.489361
1727	85	0.482352	0.439024
1774	85	0.411764	0.342857
2163	85	0.6	0.588235
2477	84	0.666666	0.607142
2621	84	0.642857	0.592592
2685	84	0.464285	0.615384
1615	83	0.614457	0.392156
1798	83	0.566265	0.404255
1799	83	0.542168	0.422222
2155	83	0.457831	0.447368
2642	83	0.445783	0.648648
2831	83	0.518072	0.581395
2844	83	0.349397	0.448275
3633	83	0.518072	0.465116
2123	82	0.634146	0.538461
2166	82	0.57317	0.617021
2845	82	0.280487	0.391304
2857	82	0.59756	0.306122
3728	82	0.682926	0.5
1724	81	0.530864	0.488372
1785	81	0.716049	0.465517
2178	81	0.45679	0.621621
2883	81	0.358024	0.241379
1745	80	0.5625	0.422222
1794	80	0.5625	0.422222
3634	80	0.5	0.525
1731	79	0.56962	0.355555
2466	79	0.658227	0.423076
2617	79	0.582278	0.586956
2666	79	0.303797	0.583333
2834	79	0.417721	0.30303
1722	78	0.5	0.435897
1768	78	0.705128	0.545454
2616	78	0.666666	0.653846
2833	78	0.410256	0.46875
1629	77	0.441558	0.235294
1725	77	0.324675	0.4
2434	77	0.662337	0.529411
2628	77	0.740259	0.578947
2659	77	0.506493	0.461538
2191	76	0.657894	0.56
2421	76	0.710526	0.74074
2458	76	0.473684	0.5
2479	76	0.657894	0.46
2631	76	0.75	0.491228
2894	76	0.526315	0.35
3749	76	0.223684	0.705882
2422	75	0.6	0.355555
2473	75	0.546666	0.512195
2489	75	0.586666	0.386363
2847	75	0.466666	0.542857
2855	75	0.56	0.380952
3647	75	0.346666	0.538461
3678	75	0.506666	0.394736
2144	74	0.662162	0.448979
2161	74	0.5	0.594594
2199	74	0.432432	0.5
2696	74	0.743243	0.454545
2127	73	0.383561	0.571428
2177	73	0.602739	0.545454
2196	73	0.465753	0.382352
2851	73	0.424657	0.32258
2858	73	0.506849	0.513513
2112	72	0.402777	0.482758
2131	72	0.555555	0.475
2168	72	0.5	0.638888
2184	72	0.597222	0.674418
2484	72	0.75	0.666666
2647	72	0.513888	0.432432
2686	72	0.541666	0.51282
1778	71	0.40845	0.482758
1784	71	0.718309	0.392156
1795	71	0.605633	0.255813
1773	70	0.428571	0.266666
1779	70	0.328571	0.391304
2132	70	0.657142	0.608695
2651	70	0.571428	0.425
2694	70	0.471428	0.575757
2853	70	0.428571	0.433333
2143	69	0.47826	0.424242
2656	69	0.347826	0.375
1772	68	0.25	0.294117
2124	68	0.470588	0.375
2441	68	0.514705	0.628571
3612	68	0.294117	0.25
3656	68	0.544117	0.432432
3673	68	0.529411	0.527777
2175	67	0.716417	0.458333
2423	67	0.641791	0.674418
2492	67	0.597014	0.5
2881	67	0.597014	0.4
3617	67	0.537313	0.472222
3631	67	0.343283	0.47826
3661	67	0.388059	0.538461
1655	66	0.30303	0.5
1715	66	0.530303	0.485714
2179	66	0.454545	0.5
2612	66	0.80303	0.509433
2876	66	0.40909	0.259259
2433	65	0.692307	0.533333
2467	65	0.553846	0.416666
2684	65	0.661538	0.418604
1649	64	0.5	0.09375
1673	64	0.59375	0.315789
1744	64	0.375	0.25
2135	64	0.625	0.575
2431	64	0.515625	0.454545
2463	64	0.734375	0.489361
3664	64	0.421875	0.555555
1762	63	0.460317	0.344827
1776	63	0.444444	0.464285
2136	63	0.571428	0.583333
2164	63	0.666666	0.619047
2436	63	0.380952	0.541666
2498	63	0.492063	0.741935
2611	63	0.777777	0.55102
2868	63	0.428571	0.37037
3779	63	0.539682	0.382352
2162	62	0.387096	0.541666
3635	62	0.516129	0.4375
3655	62	0.516129	0.375
3677	62	0.467741	0.517241
2126	61	0.62295	0.710526
2619	61	0.62295	0.657894
2829	61	0.62295	0.473684
2887	61	0.508196	0.387096
3652	61	0.62295	0.342105
2424	60	0.733333	0.477272
2444	60	0.233333	0.642857
2636	60	0.7	0.523809
1675	59	0.694915	0.219512
2171	59	0.542372	0.5625
2627	59	0.644067	0.473684
3636	59	0.474576	0.535714
2442	58	0.534482	0.354838
2495	58	0.517241	0.666666
1648	57	0.385964	0.40909
2437	57	0.578947	0.696969
2481	57	0.666666	0.394736
2488	57	0.736842	0.428571
2626	57	0.491228	0.607142
2697	57	0.508771	0.655172
2886	57	0.596491	0.441176
1652	56	0.571428	0.46875
1713	56	0.642857	0.472222
2414	56	0.589285	0.757575
2438	56	0.678571	0.657894
2474	56	0.553571	0.645161
2497	56	0.321428	0.944444
2618	56	0.678571	0.5
2641	56	0.5	0.5
2811	56	0.553571	0.32258
2848	56	0.375	0.523809
3637	56	0.571428	0.46875
3641	56	0.410714	0.434782
2129	55	0.490909	0.37037
2152	55	0.454545	0.64
2167	55	0.690909	0.657894
2472	55	0.454545	0.4
2652	55	0.345454	0.526315
2677	55	0.636363	0.542857
1637	54	0.611111	0.393939
1736	54	0.5	0.555555
2446	54	0.444444	0.541666
2459	54	0.5	0.666666
2464	54	0.185185	0.3
2863	54	0.555555	0.4
2882	54	0.37037	0.4
1625	53	0.320754	0.294117
2411	53	0.245283	0.615384
2455	53	0.26415	0.5
2643	53	0.584905	0.451612
2692	53	0.584905	0.612903
3672	53	0.26415	0.285714
2122	52	0.423076	0.40909
2493	52	0.51923	0.518518
2665	52	0.730769	0.710526
2814	52	0.480769	0.32
3667	52	0.423076	0.454545
1632	51	0.509803	0.384615
2125	51	0.62745	0.46875
2139	51	0.72549	0.324324
2192	51	0.078431	0.25
2193	51	0.411764	0.761904
2451	51	0.352941	0.777777
2644	51	0.45098	0.521739
3618	51	0.431372	0.5
3725	51	0.372549	0.315789
1642	50	0.64	0.34375
2114	50	0.5	0.68
2181	50	0.58	0.37931
2648	50	0.46	0.695652
2674	50	0.62	0.451612
2687	50	0.58	0.482758

Two things jump out at me:

• TCs 3600 and 3700 are absolutely flooded with appeal briefs. (This is even clearer in the graph below).
• There is a lot of variance among art units, so be sure to look up your particular examiner and art unit when preparing a recommendation for your client.

P.S. If you need to prepare an appeal brief, perhaps one of the 800+ samples in our prosecution document search engine might be helpful. You can even filter by which ones resulted in a notice of allowance (over 550 of them).