Legal Definitions - first office action

A first office action is the initial response from a patent examiner to a patent application. If the examiner rejects most or all of the claims in the application, it is called a "shotgun rejection." The applicant must respond by addressing the reasons for rejection, amending the claims, or both.

• John submitted a patent application for a new type of solar panel. The patent examiner's first office action rejected all of the claims in the application. John had to respond by addressing the reasons for rejection and amending his claims.
• After receiving a first office action, Sarah decided to amend her patent application to address the examiner's concerns. She submitted a response to the examiner, hoping to get her application approved.

These examples illustrate how a first office action can impact a patent application. It is important for applicants to carefully review the examiner's reasons for rejection and respond appropriately to avoid abandoning the prosecution.