# TMEP § 109: Access to Records

> Federal · Agency guidance · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S109

## Section

- **Citation:** TMEP § 109
- **Heading:** Access to Records
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Agency guidance
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** USPTO TMEP / Chapter 0100 - General Information / TMEP § 109

## Text

18 U.S.C. §2071
Concealment, removal, or mutilation generally.
(a)
Whoever willfully and unlawfully conceals, removes,
mutilates, obliterates, or destroys, or attempts to do so, or, with intent to do so
takes and carries away any record, proceeding, map, book, paper, document, or other
thing, filed or deposited with any clerk or officer of any court of the United States,
or in any public office, or with any judicial or public officer of the United States,
shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.
(b)
Whoever, having the custody of any such record, proceeding,
map, book, document, paper, or other thing, willfully and unlawfully conceals, removes,
mutilates, obliterates, falsifies, or destroys the same, shall be fined under this title
or imprisoned not more than three years, or both; and shall forfeit his office and be
disqualified from holding any office under the United States.  As used in this
subsection, the term "office" does not include the office held by any person as a
retired officer of the Armed Forces of the United States.
37 C.F.R.
Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, access
to the file of a particular pending application will be permitted prior to publication
under § 2.80 upon written request.
37 C.F.R.
Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, the
official records of applications and all proceedings relating thereto are available for
public inspection and copies of the documents may be furnished upon payment of the fee
required by § 2.6.
37 C.F.R.
Anything ordered to be filed under seal pursuant to a
protective order issued or made by any court or by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board
in any proceeding involving an application or registration shall be kept confidential
and shall not be made available for public inspection or copying unless otherwise
ordered by the court or the Board, or unless the party protected by the order
voluntarily discloses the matter subject thereto
eal pursuant to a
protective order issued or made by any court or by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board
in any proceeding involving an application or registration shall be kept confidential
and shall not be made available for public inspection or copying unless otherwise
ordered by the court or the Board, or unless the party protected by the order
voluntarily discloses the matter subject thereto.  When possible, only confidential
portions of filings with the Board shall be filed under seal.
In order to inspect the contents of a trademark application or
registration record, it is not necessary to show good cause or to have a power to inspect
from the applicant or registrant.

## Nearby sections

- [TMEP § 101 Trademark Statute and Rules](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S101.md)
- [TMEP § 102 U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Website](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S102.md)
- [TMEP § 103 Trademark Documents](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S103.md)
- [TMEP § 104 Trademark Search Systems](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S104.md)
- [TMEP § 105 General Information About Trademarks](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S105.md)
- [TMEP § 106 The Official Gazette](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S106.md)
- [TMEP § 107 Trademark Manuals](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S107.md)
- [TMEP § 108.01 Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) Database](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S108.01.md)
- [TMEP § 108.02 Trademark Assistance Center (TAC)](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S108.02.md)
- [TMEP § 108.03 Due Diligence: Duty to Monitor Status](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S108.03.md)
- [TMEP § 109 Access to Records](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S109.md)
- [TMEP § 109.01 Electronic Image Records](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S109.01.md)
- [TMEP § 109.02 Paper Files](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S109.02.md)
- [TMEP § 109.03 Making Copies of Materials in Records](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S109.03.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S109. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.