# MPEP § 1004: Actions Which Require the Attention of a Primary Examiner

> Federal · Agency guidance · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1004

## Section

- **Citation:** MPEP § 1004
- **Heading:** Actions Which Require the Attention of a Primary Examiner
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Agency guidance
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** USPTO MPEP / Chapter 1000 - Matters Decided by Various U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Officials / MPEP § 1004

## Text

Existing practice requires the primary examiner to be personally
responsible for the following actions:
1. Allowances (
MPEP § 1302.13
).
2. Examiner’s amendments (
MPEP § 1302.04
).
3. Quayle actions (
MPEP § 714.14
).
4. Final rejections (
MPEP § 706.07
).
5. Final Office actions containing a final requirement for
restriction (
MPEP §
803.01
).
6. Withdrawal of final rejection (
MPEP §§ 706.07(d)
and
706.07(e)
).
7. Actions on amendments submitted after final rejection
(
MPEP §
714.12
).
8. All examiner’s answers on appeal (
MPEP § 1207
).
9. Actions reopening prosecution (
MPEP § 1214.07
).
10. Entry of amendments under
37 CFR 1.312
that are
directed merely to formal matters or the cancellation of claims (
MPEP § 714.16
).
11. Rejection of a previously allowed claim (
MPEP § 706.04
).
12. Holding of abandonment for insufficient reply (
MPEP § 711.03(a)
).
13. Decision on affidavits or declarations (for example, under
37 CFR
1.130(a)
(
MPEP § 717.01(a) et seq.
),
37 CFR 1.130(b)
(
MPEP § 717.01(b) et
seq.
),
37 CFR 1.131(a)
(
MPEP § 715.08
),
37 CFR
1.131(c)
(
MPEP § 718
), or
37 CFR 1.132
(
MPEP §
716
)).
14. First request for suspension of examiner’s action
(
MPEP §
709
).
15. Decision on reissue oath or declaration (
MPEP § 1414
).
16. International Preliminary Examination Reports (
MPEP § 1879
).
17. Classification of allowed cases (
MPEP § 903.07
).
18. Treatment of newly filed application which obviously fails to comply
with
35 U.S.C.
112
(
MPEP § 702.01
).
19. Consideration of the advisability of a patentability report
(
MPEP §
705.01(a)
).
20. Requests filed prior to September 16, 2012 under 37 CFR 1.48 for
correction of inventorship or to accept amendments, statements, or oaths or declarations
under 37 CFR 1.48 (See MPEP § 602.01(c)(3) in Revision 08.2017 of the Ninth Edition of the
MPEP, published in January 2018).
21. Actions suggesting claims for interference purposes
(
MPEP §§
2304.04
,
2304.04(b)
)
report
(
MPEP §
705.01(a)
).
20. Requests filed prior to September 16, 2012 under 37 CFR 1.48 for
correction of inventorship or to accept amendments, statements, or oaths or declarations
under 37 CFR 1.48 (See MPEP § 602.01(c)(3) in Revision 08.2017 of the Ninth Edition of the
MPEP, published in January 2018).
21. Actions suggesting claims for interference purposes
(
MPEP §§
2304.04
,
2304.04(b)
). Note that the examiner should
consult with a Technology Center Practice Specialist (TCPS),
MPEP § 2304.04
.
22. Actions involving copied patent claims
(
MPEP §
2304.04(b)
.
23. Suggesting an interference (
MPEP § 2304.04
).
24. Calling Administrative Patent Judge’s attention to a discovered
reference which makes a claim corresponding to a count unpatentable.
For matters decided by supervisory patent examiners, see
MPEP §
1002.02(d)
.
For a list of actions that are to be submitted to the Technology Center
Directors, see
MPEP
§§ 1002.02(c)
and
1003
.
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## Nearby sections

- [MPEP § 1001 Statutory Authority of Director of the USPTO](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1001.md)
- [MPEP § 1001.01 Modes of Exercising Authority](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1001.01.md)
- [MPEP § 1002 Petitions to the Director of the USPTO](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1002.md)
- [MPEP § 1002.01 Procedure](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1002.01.md)
- [MPEP § 1002.02 Delegation of Authority To Decide Petitions](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1002.02.md)
- [MPEP § 1002.02(a) [Reserved]](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1002.02(a).md)
- [MPEP § 1002.02(b) Petitions and Requests Decided by the Deputy Commissioner Who Oversees the Office of Petitions or Assigned Staff in the Office of Petitions, the Office of Patent Legal Administration and the MPEP Staff Office](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1002.02(b).md)
- [MPEP § 1002.02(c) Petitions and Requests Decided by the Technology Center Directors](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1002.02(c).md)
- [MPEP § 1002.02(c)(1) Petitions Decided by the Director of the Technology Center Who Oversees Licensing and Review](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1002.02(c)(1).md)
- [MPEP § 1002.02(c)(2) [Reserved]](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1002.02(c)(2).md)
- [MPEP § 1002.02(c)(3) Petitions and Requests Decided by the Director of Technology Center 2900](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1002.02(c)(3).md)
- [MPEP § 1002.02(c)(4) Petitions Decided in the Central Reexamination Unit](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1002.02(c)(4).md)
- [MPEP § 1002.02(d) Petitions and Matters Decided by Supervisory Patent Examiners](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1002.02(d).md)
- [MPEP § 1002.02(e) [Reserved]](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1002.02(e).md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S1004. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.