Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35).

Agency: United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Title: Legal Processes.

Form Number(s): None.

Agency Approval Number: 0651-0046.

Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Burden: 29 hours annually.

Number of Respondents: 157 responses per year.

Avg. Hours Per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take the public approximately 5 minutes (0.08 hours) to 1 hour to gather the necessary information, prepare the appropriate documents, and submit the required information to the USPTO.

Needs and Uses: This collection covers information requirements related to civil actions and claims involving current or former employees of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The rules for these legal processes may be found under 37 CFR part 104, which outlines procedures for service of process, demands for employee testimony and production of documents, reports of unauthorized testimony, employee indemnification, and filing claims against the USPTO under the Federal Tort Claims Act (28 U.S.C. 2672). The public uses this collection to serve a summons or complaint on the USPTO, demand employee testimony or documents related to a legal proceeding, or file a tort claim against the USPTO under the Federal Tort Claims Act. This collection is also necessary so that current and former USPTO employees may properly forward service and demands to the Office of General Counsel, report unauthorized testimony, and request indemnification. No forms are provided by the USPTO for submitting the information in this collection.

Affected Public: Individuals or households, businesses or other for-profits, not-for-profit institutions, farms, the Federal Government, and State, local or tribal governments.

Frequency: On occasion.

Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.

OMB Desk Officer: David Rostker, (202) 395-3897.

Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained by calling or writing Susan K. Brown, Records Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Office of Data Architecture and Services, Data Administration Division, 703-308-7400, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313, Attn: CPK 3 Suite 310; or by e-mail at susan.brown@uspto.gov.

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent on or before April 16, 2004, to David Rostker, OMB Desk Officer, Room 10202, New Executive Office Building, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.