# TMEP § 702.03(b): Conflicting Applications

> Federal · Agency guidance · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S702.03(b)

## Section

- **Citation:** TMEP § 702.03(b)
- **Heading:** Conflicting Applications
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Agency guidance
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** USPTO TMEP / Chapter 0700 - Procedure for Examining Applications / TMEP § 702.03(b)

## Text

The term “conflicting applications” refers to two or more
pending applications that are filed by different applicants and may ultimately
require a refusal of registration under §2(d) of the Trademark Act,
15 U.S.C.
§1052(d)
, due to a likelihood of confusion between the marks.
When assigned a new application, the examining attorney must search the USPTO’s
automated records to determine whether there are any conflicting applications. If
there are conflicting applications, the examining attorney should
not
transfer the conflicting application to the
examining attorney who acted on the first conflicting application. Instead, the
examining attorney should examine the assigned application and issue an Office action
that includes a notice to the applicant that there is a prior-filed application to
register a mark that may be likely to cause confusion with the applicant’s mark.
See
TMEP
§§1208–1208.03(c)
. The examining attorney handling the
later-filed application should act consistently with the examining attorney who
handled the earlier-filed application, unless it would be clear error
(
see
TMEP §706.01
) to
act consistently. If necessary, the examining attorney should review the electronic
record of the earlier-filed application before taking an action in the later-filed
conflicting application.
[top]

## Nearby sections

- [TMEP § 701 Statutory Authority for Examination](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S701.md)
- [TMEP § 702.01 Order of Examination](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S702.01.md)
- [TMEP § 702.02 “Special” Applications](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S702.02.md)
- [TMEP § 702.03(a) Companion Applications](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S702.03(a).md)
- [TMEP § 702.03(a)(i) Companion Applications Not Previously Assigned for the Same or Similar Marks](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S702.03(a)(i).md)
- [TMEP § 702.03(a)(ii) Companion Applications Previously Assigned](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S702.03(a)(ii).md)
- [TMEP § 702.03(a)(iii) Companion Registrations](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S702.03(a)(iii).md)
- [TMEP § 702.03(a)(iv) Classification and Identification in Companion Applications that Have Registered or Been Published for Opposition](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S702.03(a)(iv).md)
- [TMEP § 702.03(b) Conflicting Applications](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S702.03(b).md)
- [TMEP § 703 USPTO Does Not Issue Duplicate Registrations](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S703.md)
- [TMEP § 704.01 Initial Examination Must Be Complete](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S704.01.md)
- [TMEP § 704.02 Examining Attorney’s Search](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S704.02.md)
- [TMEP § 704.03 Supervisory Examining Attorney May Indicate Action for Non-Signatory Examining Attorney](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S704.03.md)
- [TMEP § 705 The Examining Attorney’s Letter or Action](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S705.md)

---

Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S702.03(b). Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.