As those involved in the world of trademark law likely know, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) publishes an immensely helpful Manual covering the practices and procedures of prosecuting or registering trademarks in front of the USPTO. This Manual, called the Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure (“TMEP”) is frequently updated to ensure it remains current with the ever changing landscape of trademark law. In fact, just this past July, the USPTO updated the TMEP to ensure it remains up to date with current acts, statutes, and laws. Specifically, the July 2022 update includes up to date citations from decisions made by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board as well as the Federal Circuit between September 15, 2018, and December 1, 2021. Likewise, the July 2022 update also includes changes made to reflect changes to trademark law resulting from the Trademark Modernization Act of 2020.
To read more about the various updates included in the July 2022 version of the TMEP, visit the USPTO’s helpful outline here. Additionally, you can access the TMEP free of charge at https://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/guides-and-manuals/tmep-archives.