37 CFR § 1.981 - Reopening after a final decision of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t37/s1.981"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "37 CFR § 1.981 - Reopening after a final decision of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board."
title_number: 37
title_name: "Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights"
section_number: "1.981"
section_name: "Reopening after a final decision of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board."
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"
---


# 1.981 Reopening after a final decision of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

When a decision by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board on appeal has become final for judicial review, prosecution of the *inter partes* reexamination proceeding will not be reopened or reconsidered by the primary examiner except under the provisions of § 41.77 of this title without the written authority of the Director, and then only for the consideration of matters not already adjudicated, sufficient cause being shown.

[77 FR 46628, Aug. 6, 2012]