What is a consequence of the 2+5 month rule prior to the AIA in relation to filing oaths?

The assertion that the 2+5 month rule no longer applies post-AIA is accurate because the America Invents Act (AIA), implemented on September 16, 2011, brought significant changes to patent law, including the way timelines for filing documents, such as oaths, are structured. Prior to the AIA, this system allowed applicants an initial 2 months to file an oath, which could be extended up to an additional 5 months upon request.

After the AIA was enacted, these specific timelines and rules were modified, thus effectively eliminating the 2+5 month structure that existed before the reforms. The new regulations established more stringent and different requirements aimed at streamlining the patent examination process. Therefore, the correct understanding is that the rule which provided those extended timelines for filing oaths is no longer applicable under the new legal framework established by the AIA.

Understanding how legislative changes impact application processes is crucial for patent practitioners, and recognizing that certain procedural rules can be rendered obsolete helps ensure compliance with current patent regulations.