PTAB Trial Statistics as of July 31, 2016

This page gives Patent Trial and Appeal Board trial figures as of July 31, 2016, which falls in fiscal year 2016 (October 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016). The cumulative figures run from September 16, 2012, when AIA trials began. The full year is covered on the FY2016 statistics page.

Cumulative Figures as of July 31, 2016

Events from September 16, 2012 to July 31, 2016, by trial type:

Measure	IPR	PGR	CBM	DER	Total
Petitions filed	4,859	30	470	12	5,371
Institution decisions: instituted	2,383	11	248	0	2,642
Institution decisions: denied	1,617	5	159	3	1,784
Institution rate (by petition)	59.6%	68.8%	60.9%	0.0%	59.7%
Final written decisions	1,132	2	145	0	1,279

Terminations without a final written decision	Count
Settlements	656
Adverse judgment	0
Dismissed	0
Other terminations	79

Fiscal Year 2016 to Date

Events from October 1, 2015 to July 31, 2016:

Measure	IPR	PGR	CBM	DER	Total
Petitions filed	1,281	17	88	4	1,390
Institution decisions: instituted	744	8	37	0	789
Institution decisions: denied	575	3	49	0	627
Institution rate (by petition)	56.4%	72.7%	43.0%	—	55.7%
Final written decisions	524	2	63	0	589

Terminations without a final written decision	Count
Settlements	232
Adverse judgment	0
Dismissed	0
Other terminations	38

Change Since February 29, 2016

Between the previous dated page (February 29, 2016) and July 31, 2016, 734 petitions were filed, 349 trials were instituted, 286 petitions were denied institution and 307 final written decisions issued. The cumulative institution rate moved from 60.5% to 59.7%.

Trial Types Covered

4,859 of the 5,371 petitions (90.5%) were for inter partes review, which challenges patent claims on prior-art grounds under 35 U.S.C. chapter 31. The remainder were for covered business method review (470), post-grant review under chapter 32 (30) and derivation proceedings (12). Institution standards differ by proceeding; see the threshold standards.

How These Figures Were Compiled

The figures are counted from USPTO Open Data Portal records retrieved on October 31, 2026, keeping only events dated on or before July 31, 2016: a petition by its filing date, an institution decision by its decision date, and a final written decision or termination by its date. They are a reconstruction from the current records, not the USPTO’s report of that date, and may differ from statistics the USPTO published at the time. Final written decision outcomes are not reported because the records state them for too few decisions. The methodology gives the counting rules in full.

Related Statistics

• PTAB statistics for fiscal year 2016
• PTAB trial statistics as of February 29, 2016 (previous date)
• PTAB trial statistics as of September 30, 2016 (next date)
• PTAB statistics by fiscal year, with charts
• Reading PTAB trial outcomes
• USPTO PTAB statistics (official reports)