Lost Case? | Issues with Status 71 Stir Frustration
In a surge of concern on various forums, people are highlighting severe issues with cases showing up in status 71 and being overdue. Many are anxious about their cases, which appear to be missing from examiners' dockets.
Frustrating Experiences Shared
Comments reveal a pattern of mishaps. One person recounted a troubling situation, saying, "Sometimes weird stuff happens. Email a troubleshooter. They'll fix it." This underscores a growing reliance on troubleshooting for fixing case visibility issues.
Another commentator expressed frustration: "I’ve looked there. It’s not on my docket. I’m worried it’ll appear 8 months overdue." In line with this sentiment, some believe that cases might be mistakenly shown on rejected dockets. One commenter noted a delay with a small form issue: "I had a case returned by the system that didn’t show for 2-3 months until it magically appeared."
Problematic Case Management
Delays are notably concerning. A participant shared, "I had a pre-brief appeal conference request filed and the status never changed. It was over 7 months after the last action when I decided to abandon the case." Such frustrations are palpable among individuals waiting for resolutions. Another user mentioned their attempts to resolve a missing case, saying, "Took months before someone finally resolved it."
People are encouraged to actively reach out to their Supervisory Patent Examiners (SPEs) or the OPESS Case Resolution team. "If they don't resolve it quickly, at least you'll know the reason," noted a commenter.
Key Themes and Concerns
📞 Need for Communication: Many suggest contacting a troubleshooter immediately.
📅 Case Delays: Persistent issues leading to overdue cases remain prevalent.
🔄 Lost Cases: Individuals repeatedly report cases going missing from dockets altogether, causing concern and frustration.
Community Reaction and Moving Forward
Interestingly, the conversations surrounding these challenges reflect a deep desire for accountability in case processing. The growing alarm might prompt OPESS to improve their tracking systems for overdue cases. As some commenters noted, engaging directly with the OPESS Case Resolution team could lead to fixes, enhancing communication between examiners and applicants.
Final Takeaways
🌟 "Email a troubleshooter; they'll sort it out" - Shared advice highlights community resourcefulness.
⏰ Multiple cases reported missing show the scale of the issue.
🔄 Users suggest the potential for systematic changes in handling overdue cases as frustrations peak.
As these issues unfold, they could evolve into a larger dialogue about efficiency in case examinations, potentially stirring public interest and legislative oversight. Will the system adapt to meet today's demands? Only time will tell.