The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s July 2026 proposal to require third-party requesters in ex parte reexamination to disclose all real parties in interest has generated a sharp divide among the patent community, according to IPWatchdog. The proposal drew 26 comments, with no consensus emerging from the submissions.
The source report does not detail the specific arguments on either side, but it describes the response as a clear split rather than a unified reaction. The proposal would add a transparency requirement to a procedure that currently allows requesters to pursue reexamination without naming who stands behind the request.
IPWatchdog’s coverage is the only source for this article, so no independent comparison of positions is available. The article suggests the final rule, if adopted, could change how third parties approach ex parte reexamination, but the outcome remains uncertain given the divided feedback.