# MPEP § 2801: Introduction

> Federal · Agency guidance · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2801

## Section

- **Citation:** MPEP § 2801
- **Heading:** Introduction
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Agency guidance
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** USPTO MPEP / Chapter 2800 - Supplemental Examination / MPEP § 2801

## Text

Supplemental examination became available on September 16,
2012, as a result of new section 257 of Title 35, United States Code, which was added by
Public Law 112-29, enacted on September 16, 2011, known as the Leahy-Smith America Invents
Act (AIA). Supplemental examination provisions of the AIA provide a patent owner with a
mechanism to request that the Office consider, reconsider, or correct information believed
to be relevant to the patent. The rules of practice in patent cases relating to
supplemental examination were promulgated on August 14, 2012, at 77 Fed. Reg.
48828-48853.
Unlike
ex parte
reexamination practice,
the information that the patent owner may request to be considered, reconsidered, or
corrected in a supplemental examination proceeding is not limited to patents and printed
publications. The "information" may include any information that the patent owner believes
to be relevant to the patent. For example, the information may include not only a patent or
a journal article, but also a sales invoice, or a transcript of an audio or video
recording. In addition, the information submitted as part of a request for supplemental
examination may involve any ground of patentability, such as, for example, patent eligible
subject matter, anticipation, public use or sale, obviousness, written description,
enablement, indefiniteness, and double-patenting.
The flowchart below shows the general procedure for a
supplemental examination proceeding, and for an
ex parte
reexamination
proceeding initiated/ordered as a result of a supplemental examination proceeding.
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## Nearby sections

- [MPEP § 2801 Introduction](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2801.md)
- [MPEP § 2802 Supplemental Examination](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2802.md)
- [MPEP § 2803 Persons Who May File a Request for Supplemental Examination](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2803.md)
- [MPEP § 2803.01 Inquiries from Persons Other Than the Patent Owner](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2803.01.md)
- [MPEP § 2803.02 Public Access](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2803.02.md)
- [MPEP § 2804 Representative of Patent Owner](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2804.md)
- [MPEP § 2804.01 Withdrawal of Attorney or Agent](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2804.01.md)
- [MPEP § 2805 Correspondence with Patent Owner; Patent Owner Address](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2805.md)
- [MPEP § 2806 How to File Papers in a Supplemental Examination Proceeding and in Any Resulting Ex Parte Reexamination Proceeding](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2806.md)
- [MPEP § 2807 Format of Papers Filed in a Supplemental Examination Proceeding](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2807.md)
- [MPEP § 2808 Time for Requesting Supplemental Examination](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2808.md)
- [MPEP § 2809 Items of Information](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2809.md)
- [MPEP § 2809.01 Information Relating to the Correction of Factual Information](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2809.01.md)
- [MPEP § 2810 Fees Due on Filing a Supplemental Examination Request](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2810.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2801. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.