MISSION
The American Center for Equitable Treatment (ACET) is a non-partisan, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to educating Americans about the economic and social benefits of the federal government’s fair, efficient, and effective administration of technology, innovation, and intellectual property laws and policies.
CURRENT ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECTS
ACET uses government publications and the Freedom of Information Act to gather information of potential interest to the public from federal agencies, and disseminates that information to advance public understanding both of government process and of the effect such process has on technological innovation, intellectual property protection, and economic prosperity. ACET posts its information requests and the government’s responses for public review and also publishes on ACET Blog analyses and commentary on such information. Please visit again soon to view new items as they become available.
OMB Accountability
January 31, 2017. OMB Response to ACET's Appeal No. 2016-128 and related partial production for ACET's FOIA request No. 2016-127. [Cover Letter, Records Produced].
December 30, 2016. OMB partial production for ACET's FOIA request No. 2016-126 and Appeal No. 2016-128. [Cover Letter, Records Produced].
USPTO Accountability
Sensitive Applications Warning System ("SAWS").
Class Action under the Privacy Act. Paul Morinville, et al., v. USPTO, filed in June 2019 in the District of Columbia. Plaintiffs allege that the USPTO violated the Privacy Act by operating the secret SAWS. The USPTO moved to dismiss, a motion that the District Court denied in part on February 26, 2020. See details.
Class Action. eVideo Owners et al. v. U.S., Federal Court of Claims, Case No. 15-413-LKG. The suit names eVideo as the lead plaintiff in a class of (yet unknown) applicants whose patent applications were flagged under the SAWS. eVideo’s video on-demand technology is covered by two patent applications that have been languishing in the USPTO for over 13 years. The suit seeks damages in USPTO fees and prosecution costs in applications after they were designated under the SAWS. See details.
8-8-2018. The USPTO’s cover-up of the secret SAWS
7-18-2018. The SAWS disproportionately targeted individual and small entity inventors
Danny Huntington FOIA Requests and litigation. Comprehensive FOIA requests on the operation of the secret SAWS program since its inception in 1994 until its retirement in March 2015. Records include memos, directives, reports, emails, and SAWS guidance for examiners. Records show that all pending pre-GATT applications were flagged under the SAWS and that the Board of Appeals received SAWS information on appeals for applications flagged under the SAWS. See details.
February 2, 2017. ACET's second FOIA request from USPTO on derivation of paperwork burden estimates and on guidance for complying with OMB PRA reviews. [FOIA Rrequest No. F-17-112].