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).