37 CFR § 1.939 - Unauthorized papers in reexamination.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t37/s1.939"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "37 CFR § 1.939 - Unauthorized papers in  reexamination."
title_number: 37
title_name: "Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights"
section_number: "1.939"
section_name: "Unauthorized papers in  reexamination."
chapter_name: "UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE"
subchapter_number: "A"
subchapter_name: "GENERAL"
part_number: "1"
part_name: "RULES OF PRACTICE IN PATENT CASES"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "35 U.S.C. 2(b)(2), unless otherwise noted."
regulatory_source: "24 FR 10332, Dec. 22, 1959, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "1"
---


# 1.939 Unauthorized papers in  reexamination.

(a) If an unauthorized paper is filed by any party at any time during the *inter partes* reexamination proceeding it will not be considered and may be returned.

(b) Unless otherwise authorized, no paper shall be filed prior to the initial Office action on the merits of the *inter partes* reexamination.