37 CFR 220.5 – Requests, responses, and written submissions
(a) Requests and responses submitted through fillable form. Unless this subchapter provides otherwise or the Board orders otherwise, documents listed under this subsection shall be submitted through a fillable form on eCCB and shall comply with the following requirements:
Terms Used In 37 CFR 220.5
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
- Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. Source:
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Interrogatories: Written questions asked by one party of an opposing party, who must answer them in writing under oath; a discovery device in a lawsuit.
- Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.
- Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
- Reporter: Makes a record of court proceedings and prepares a transcript, and also publishes the court's opinions or decisions (in the courts of appeals).
- Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
- Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
(1) Tier one requests and responses. Requests and responses to requests which are identified under this paragraph (a)(1) shall be filed through the fillable form on eCCB and be limited to 4,000 characters. Any party may submit a response to a request identified in this paragraph within seven days of the filing of the request. The Board may deny such a request before the time to submit a response expires, but the Board will not grant a request before the time to submit a response expires, unless the request is consented to by all parties. There shall be no replies from a party that submits a request, absent leave of the Board. Tier one requests and responses shall include:
(i) Requests to amend a scheduling order and responses to such requests under § 222.11(d)(2) of this subchapter;
(ii) Requests for a general conference or discovery conference (those not involving a dispute) and responses to such requests under § 222.11(c), § 225.1(c), or § 226.4(g) of this subchapter;
(iii) Statements as to damages under § 222.15(b)(3) of this subchapter;
(iv) Requests for a hearing under § 222.16(c) of this subchapter;
(v) Requests to withdraw claims or counterclaims under § 222.17 of this subchapter;
(vi) Requests for a settlement conference and responses to such requests under § 222.18(b)(2) of this subchapter;
(vii) Requests to stay proceedings for settlement discussions or requests to extend the stay of proceedings for settlement discussions, and responses to such requests, under § 222.18(f) of this subchapter;
(viii) Joint requests for a dismissal under § 222.18(g) of this subchapter;
(ix) Requests for the standard protective order under § 222.19(a) of this subchapter;
(x) Requests to remove a confidentiality designation and responses to such requests under § 222.19(a)(5) of this subchapter;
(xi) Requests for a custom protective order under § 222.19(b) of this subchapter;
(xii) Requests to use not previously submitted evidence at a hearing and responses to such requests under § 222.20(d) of this subchapter;
(xiii) Requests to modify the discovery schedule and responses to such requests under § 225.1(b) of this subchapter;
(xiv) Requests to withhold additional documents as privileged and responses to such requests under § 225.3(g) of this subchapter;
(xv) Requests to issue a notice regarding a missed deadline or requirement and responses to such requests under § 227.1(a) or § 228.2(a) of this subchapter;
(xvi) Responses to a Board-issued notice regarding a missed deadline in the default context under § 227.1(c) of this subchapter;
(xvii) Responses to a Board-issued notice regarding a missed deadline in the failure to prosecute context under § 228.2(c)(2) of this subchapter;
(xviii) Requests to designate an official reporter for a hearing and responses to such requests under § 229.1(d) of this subchapter;
(xix) Requests to withdraw representation under § 232.5 of this subchapter; and
(xx) Requests not otherwise covered under § 220.5(d).
(2) Tier two requests and responses. Requests and responses to requests which are identified under this paragraph (a)(2) shall be filed through the fillable form on eCCB and be limited to 10,000 characters, not including any permitted attachments. Any party may file a response within 14 days of the filing of the request or the order to show cause. The Board may deny a request before the time to submit a response expires, but the Board will not grant a request before the time to submit a response expires, unless the request is consented to by all parties. There shall be no replies from a party that submits a request, absent leave of the Board. Tier two requests and responses shall include:
(i) Requests to amend pleadings and responses to such requests under § 222.12(d)(2) of this subchapter;
(ii) Requests to consolidate and responses to such requests under § 222.13(c) of this subchapter;
(iii) Requests to intervene by a third party and responses to such requests under § 222.14(c) of this subchapter;
(iv) Requests to dismiss for unsuitability and responses to such requests under § 224.2(c) of this subchapter;
(v) Requests for additional discovery under § 225.4(a)(4) of this subchapter. Such requests must enter each specific additional discovery request (e.g., the specific interrogatories, document requests, or requests for admission sought) within the fillable form;
(vi) Responses to requests for additional discovery under § 225.4(a)(4) of this subchapter;
(vii) Requests to serve requests for admission and responses to requests to serve requests for admission under § 225.4(c) of this subchapter;
(viii) Requests to be able to present an expert witness and responses to such requests under § 225.4(b)(2) of this subchapter;
(ix) Requests for a conference to resolve a discovery dispute under § 225.5(b) of this subchapter. Such requests must attach any inadequate interrogatory responses or inadequate request for admission responses and may attach communications related to the discovery dispute or documents specifically discussed in the request related to the inadequacy of the document production;
(x) Responses to requests for a conference to resolve a discovery dispute under § 225.5(b) of this subchapter. Such responses may attach communications related to the discovery dispute or produced documents specifically pertinent to the dispute;
(xi) Requests for sanctions and responses to such requests under § 225.5(e)(1) of this subchapter;
(xii) Requests for a third-party to attend a hearing and responses to such requests under § 229.1(c) of this subchapter;
(xiii) Responses to an order to show cause regarding bad-faith conduct under § 232.3(b)(1) of this subchapter;
(xiv) Requests for a conference related to alleged bad-faith conduct and responses to such requests under § 232.3(b)(2) of this subchapter;
(xv) Responses to an order to show cause regarding a pattern of bad-faith conduct under § 232.4(b)(1) of this subchapter; and
(xvi) Requests for a conference related to a pattern of alleged bad-faith conduct and responses to such requests under § 232.4(b)(2) of this subchapter.
(b) Tier three: Uploaded written submissions. (1) Unless the Board orders otherwise, written submissions not identified as tier one or tier two requests and responses under this section shall be uploaded to eCCB (with the exception of settlement statements under § 222.18(d) of this subchapter), shall comply with the applicable page limitations and response times set forth in this subchapter for such documents, and shall—
(i) Include a title;
(ii) Include a caption;
(iii) Be typewritten;
(iv) Be double-spaced, except for headings, footnotes, or block quotations, which may be single-spaced;
(v) Be in 12-point type or larger; and
(vi) Include the typed or handwritten signature of the party submitting the document.
(2) Documents considered tier three submissions shall include:
(i) Direct party statements and response party statements under § 222.15(b)(3) of this subchapter;
(ii) Reply party statements under § 222.15(c)(3) of this subchapter;
(iii) Settlement position statements under § 222.18(d) of this subchapter;
(iv) Requests to reconsider determinations to dismiss for unsuitability and responses to such requests under § 224.2(b)(2) of this subchapter;
(v) Smaller claims position statements under § 226.4(d)(2)(ii) of this subchapter;
(vi) Responses to smaller claims Board-proposed findings of fact under § 226.4(e)(1);
(vii) Claimant written direct party statement in support of default under § 227.2(a) of this subchapter;
(viii) Claimant response to Board determination after default that evidence is insufficient to find for claimant under § 227.3(a)(2) of this subchapter;
(ix) Response to notice of proposed default determination under § 227.4(a) of this subchapter;
(x) Requests to vacate a default determination and responses to such requests under § 227.5(c) of this subchapter;
(xi) Request to vacate a dismissal for failure to prosecute and responses to such requests under § 228.2(e) of this subchapter;
(xii) Requests for reconsideration under § 230.2 of this subchapter;
(xiii) Responses to requests for reconsideration under § 230.3 of this subchapter;
(xiv) Requests for review by the Register of Copyrights under § 231.2 of this subchapter; and
(xv) Responses to requests for review by the Register of Copyrights under § 231.3 of this subchapter.
(c) Replies. Other than written testimony submitted pursuant to § 222.15 of this subchapter, replies to any responses to requests or written submissions shall not be permitted, unless otherwise provided for in this subchapter or permitted by the Board.
(d) Other requests and responses. Any requests to the Board not specified in this part can be submitted by filing a request not otherwise covered under paragraph (a)(1) of this section. Depending on the nature of the request, the Board shall advise the parties whether the request is permitted and, if so, if and by when the response must be filed.