PTAB Trial Statistics as of September 30, 2015

This page gives Patent Trial and Appeal Board trial figures as of September 30, 2015, which falls in fiscal year 2015 (October 1, 2014 to September 30, 2015). The cumulative figures run from September 16, 2012, when AIA trials began. The full year is covered on the FY2015 statistics page.

Cumulative Figures as of September 30, 2015

Events from September 16, 2012 to September 30, 2015, by trial type:

Measure	IPR	PGR	CBM	DER	Total
Petitions filed	3,578	13	382	8	3,981
Institution decisions: instituted	1,639	3	211	0	1,853
Institution decisions: denied	1,042	2	110	3	1,157
Institution rate (by petition)	61.1%	60.0%	65.7%	0.0%	61.6%
Final written decisions	608	0	82	0	690

Terminations without a final written decision	Count
Settlements	424
Adverse judgment	0
Dismissed	0
Other terminations	41

Fiscal Year 2015 to Date

Events from October 1, 2014 to September 30, 2015:

Measure	IPR	PGR	CBM	DER	Total
Petitions filed	1,737	11	149	3	1,900
Institution decisions: instituted	900	3	104	0	1,007
Institution decisions: denied	689	2	54	0	745
Institution rate (by petition)	56.6%	60.0%	65.8%	—	57.5%
Final written decisions	458	0	65	0	523

Terminations without a final written decision	Count
Settlements	280
Adverse judgment	0
Dismissed	0
Other terminations	33

Change Since August 31, 2015

Between the previous dated page (August 31, 2015) and September 30, 2015, 141 petitions were filed, 83 trials were instituted, 51 petitions were denied institution and 115 final written decisions issued. The cumulative institution rate moved from 61.5% to 61.6%.

Trial Types Covered

3,578 of the 3,981 petitions (89.9%) 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 (382), post-grant review under chapter 32 (13) and derivation proceedings (8). 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 September 30, 2015: 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 2015
• PTAB trial statistics as of August 31, 2015 (previous date)
• PTAB trial statistics as of February 29, 2016 (next date)
• PTAB statistics by fiscal year, with charts
• Reading PTAB trial outcomes
• USPTO PTAB statistics (official reports)