Patent Trial and Appeal Board at the Detroit Regional Office
The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) conducts trials, including inter partes, post-grant, and covered business method patent reviews and derivation proceedings, hears appeals from adverse examiner decisions in patent applications and reexamination proceedings, and renders decisions in interferences.
You are welcome to view live PTAB proceedings taking place at the Elijah J. McCoy Midwest Regional Office (MWRO). The Elijah J. McCoy Midwest Regional Office (MWRO) office hours are 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. EST Monday through Friday. See the link below for upcoming hearings.
If you are interested in viewing a hearing that is being held at another location, contact the Elijah J. McCoy Midwest Regional Office (MWRO) via email: Midwestregion@uspto.gov at least three days in advance, so that appropriate arrangements for audio-visual services can be made.
PTAB Hearing Schedule - Detroit PTAB Hearing Schedule - MainPTAB Home Page
Hearing room protocol and decorum
The dignity of the hearing room is to be respected and maintained at all times.
- Attire for counsel and spectators should be restrained and appropriate to the dignity of a courtroom. For example, the following are unacceptable: jeans, sweat pants, shorts, sundresses, t-shirts, flip-flops, and sandals. Noncompliance with these requirements may be cause for denial of entry into the hearing room.
- When a hearing is in session, no one should be heard except for counsel making argument or a judge.
- No personal recording devices of any kind (audio or visual) will be permitted in the hearing room.
- All cell phones or pagers must be turned off.
- No food or drink is permitted in the hearing room.
- Repeated entrances to, or departures from, the hearing room are to be avoided.
- Improper hearing room behavior may result in removal from the hearing room or other sanctions.
PTAB hearings accessible to individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation, including captioning, sign language interpreting, or other, please email midwestregion@uspto.gov or call (313) 446-4800.