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PTAB Inventory Dips Below 2,000 for First Time in 20 Years

What if the Patent Trial and Appeal Board's bloated backlog vanished overnight? It's happening—inventory below 2,000 for the first time in two decades, and it's not all good news.

Legal AI Beat Apr 15, 2026 4 min read 29 views
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Graph showing PTAB inventory dropping below 2,000 cases for the first time

⚡ Key Takeaways

  • PTAB inventory below 2,000 for first time in 20 years, from 27,000 peak. 𝕏
  • Ex parte pendency plunges to 9 months amid Director Squires' denial spree. 𝕏
  • Shrinking board risks irrelevance, favoring patent owners over challengers. 𝕏
Rei Fujimoto
Written by

Rei Fujimoto

Japanese AI governance reporter tracking METI AI guidelines, APPI amendments, and Japanese court precedents on automated decisions.

#PTAB inventory #USPTO backlog #discretionary denials #ex parte appeals
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Originally reported by Patently-O

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