909.02(b) Classification and Assignment to Examiner [R-07.2022]

Every nonprovisional design and plant application, new or amended, and including the drawings, if any, when first assigned to a Technology Center (TC) must be classified and assigned to an examiner for examination. The supervisory patent examiner normally assigns the application to an examiner. Provisional applications (Plant only) are not classified or assigned since they are not examined.

If an examiner other than the supervisory patent examiner is given the responsibility of assigning applications, time so spent may, at the TC Director’s discretion, be charged to “Other Time- Classify (non-PGPub) and assign cases”.