{"abstract":"The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is extending the Fast-Track Appeals Pilot Program, initiated on July 2, 2020, and previously extended on July 12, 2021, and October 4, 2022. The Fast-Track Appeals Pilot Program permits appellants with a docketed ex parte appeal before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB or Board) to file a petition to expedite the review of the appeal. The Fast-Track Appeals Pilot Program previously set a target of reaching a decision on each ex parte appeal within six months from the date the appeal entered the program. Effective in this extension, the Fast-Track Appeals Pilot Program will set a target of reaching a decision on each ex parte appeal within four months from the date the appeal enters the program.","action":"Notice.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE","name":"Commerce Department","id":54,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/commerce-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/54","parent_id":null,"slug":"commerce-department"},{"raw_name":"United States Patent and Trademark Office","name":"Patent and Trademark Office","id":402,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/patent-and-trademark-office","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/402","parent_id":54,"slug":"patent-and-trademark-office"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2026/05/06/2026-08798.html","cfr_references":[],"citation":"91 FR 24524","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"Applicability Date: May 6, 2026.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["Docket No.: PTO-P-2020-0027"],"dockets":[{"supporting_documents":[],"agency_name":"PTO","documents":[{"comment_count":0,"comment_start_date":"2026-05-06","updated_at":"2026-05-06T15:10:58.029-04:00","comment_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/PTO-P-2020-0027-0004","allow_late_comments":false,"id":"PTO-P-2020-0027-0004","comment_end_date":null,"regulations_dot_gov_open_for_comment":false}],"supporting_documents_count":0,"id":"PTO-P-2020-0027","title":"Fast-Track Appeals Pilot Program"}],"document_number":"2026-08798","effective_on":null,"end_page":24525,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"explanation":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2026/05/06/2026-08798.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/05/06/2026-08798/extension-and-modification-of-the-fast-track-appeals-pilot-program","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2026-08798?publication_date=2026-05-06","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2026-05-06/2026-08798/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":2,"page_views":{"count":145,"last_updated":"2026-05-11 10:15:15 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-05-06/pdf/2026-08798.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-08798.pdf?1777985113","publication_date":"2026-05-06","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2026/05/06/2026-08798.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{},"regulation_id_numbers":[],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[],"comments_count":0,"agency_id":"PTO","comments_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=PTO-P-2020-0027","supporting_documents_count":0,"docket_id":"PTO-P-2020-0027","document_id":"PTO-P-2020-0027-0004","regulation_id_number":null,"title":"Fast-Track Appeals Pilot Program","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2026-05-07T16:55:04Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":null,"signing_date":null,"start_page":24524,"subtype":null,"title":"Extension and Modification of the Fast-Track Appeals Pilot Program","toc_doc":"Extension and Modification of the Fast-Track Appeals Pilot Program","toc_subject":null,"topics":[],"type":"Notice","volume":91}