# MPEP § 2001.06: Sources of Information under 37 CFR 1.56

> Federal · Agency guidance · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2001.06

## Section

- **Citation:** MPEP § 2001.06
- **Heading:** Sources of Information under 37 CFR 1.56
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Agency guidance
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** USPTO MPEP / Chapter 2000 - Duty of Disclosure / MPEP § 2001.06

## Text

All individuals covered by
37 CFR 1.56
(reproduced in
MPEP §
2001.01
) have a duty to disclose to the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office all material information they are
aware
of
regardless of the source of or how they become aware of the information. See
Brasseler, U.S.A. I, L.P. v. Stryker Sales Corp
., 267 F.3d 1370,
1383, 60 USPQ2d 1482, 1490 (Fed. Cir. 2001) (“Once an attorney, or an applicant has
notice that information exists that appears material and questionable, that person
cannot ignore that notice in an effort to avoid his or her duty to disclose.”).
Materiality controls whether information must be disclosed to the Office, not the
circumstances under which or the source from which the information is obtained. If
material, the information must be disclosed to the Office. The duty to disclose material
information extends to information such individuals are aware of prior to or at the time
of filing the application or become aware of during the prosecution thereof before the
application is granted.
Individuals covered by
37 CFR 1.56
may be or become aware
of material information from various sources such as, for example, co-workers, trade
shows, communications from or with competitors, potential infringers, or other third
parties, related foreign applications (see
MPEP § 2001.06(a)
), prior or copending
United States patent applications (see
MPEP § 2001.06(b)
), related litigation
and/or post-grant proceedings (see
MPEP § 2001.06(c)
), preliminary
examination searches and supporting information related to regulatory review (see
MPEP §
2001.06(e)
).

## Nearby sections

- [MPEP § 2000.01 Introduction](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2000.01.md)
- [MPEP § 2001 Duty of Disclosure, Candor, and Good Faith](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2001.md)
- [MPEP § 2001.01 Who Has Duty To Disclose](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2001.01.md)
- [MPEP § 2001.02 [Reserved]](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2001.02.md)
- [MPEP § 2001.03 To Whom Duty of Disclosure Is Owed](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2001.03.md)
- [MPEP § 2001.04 Information Under 37 CFR 1.56(a)](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2001.04.md)
- [MPEP § 2001.05 Materiality Under 37 CFR 1.56(b)](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2001.05.md)
- [MPEP § 2001.06 Sources of Information under 37 CFR 1.56](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2001.06.md)
- [MPEP § 2001.06(a) Prior Art Cited in Related Foreign Applications](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2001.06(a).md)
- [MPEP § 2001.06(b) Information Relating to or From Copending United States Patent Applications](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2001.06(b).md)
- [MPEP § 2001.06(c) Information From Related Litigation and/or Trial Proceedings](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2001.06(c).md)
- [MPEP § 2001.06(d) Information Relating to Claims Copied From a Patent](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2001.06(d).md)
- [MPEP § 2001.06(e) Information Relating to Regulatory Review](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2001.06(e).md)
- [MPEP § 2002 Disclosure — By Whom and How Made](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2002.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2001.06. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.