What actions are NOT permitted in a reply brief?

A reply brief serves the purpose of responding to the arguments that were presented in the opposition's brief. The essential characteristic of a reply brief is that it should focus on rebutting those opposing arguments and not introduce any new elements that could potentially alter the scope of the discussion.

New evidence is not permitted in a reply brief because it would not allow the other party the opportunity to respond adequately to that evidence. Introducing new evidence at this stage could undermine the fairness of the proceedings.

Similarly, new arguments are not allowed. The rationale behind this is that a reply brief should not change the fundamental aspects of the appeal; rather, it should clarify and reinforce positions already discussed. By allowing new arguments, the integrity of the briefing process would be compromised, as the opposing party would not have the chance to respond.

Additional claim amendments are also not appropriate in a reply brief. The amendment of claims usually occurs during the prosecution phase or in response to office actions, and introducing changes at the brief stage could effectively restart the examination process, depriving the other party of responding appropriately.

Therefore, since a reply brief is restricted to addressing counterarguments without introducing new evidence, new arguments, or additional claim amendments, stating that all of the listed actions are not permitted aligns with the procedural