Legal Definitions - examiner-in-chief

Definition: An examiner-in-chief is a member of a quasi-judicial body in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that used to hear appeals of interference decisions and patent-application rejections. The body comprising those members is also referred to as examiner-in-chief. It is the predecessor of the Board of Appeals, the Board of Patent Interferences, and the present-day Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences.

Example: John is an examiner-in-chief who works at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He is responsible for reviewing patent applications and making decisions on whether to grant or reject them. If an applicant disagrees with John's decision, they can appeal to the examiner-in-chief board.

Explanation: The example illustrates how an examiner-in-chief is a member of a quasi-judicial body that reviews patent applications and makes decisions on whether to grant or reject them. If an applicant disagrees with the decision made by an examiner-in-chief, they can appeal to the examiner-in-chief board, which is made up of several members, including the examiner-in-chief. The board will then review the case and make a final decision.