USPTO Proposes RPI Disclosure Rule for Reexam Requests

The United States Patent and Trademark Office published a proposed rule on July 22, 2026, that would mandate disclosure of the real party in interest for every ex parte reexamination request. The change aims to increase transparency and align reexamination procedures more closely with other USPTO proceedings that already require such statements.

Current rules do not uniformly require this information in reexamination filings. The proposal would extend the requirement to all such requests, helping the Office identify potential conflicts or related matters more efficiently.

Stakeholders have until a specified comment period to submit feedback on the draft rule. If adopted, the requirement would apply prospectively to new filings.

The move follows recent USPTO efforts to refine post-grant procedures and mirrors practices in inter partes review and other contested matters.