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Examiner Michael B Holmes

TECH CENTER 2100 · 4 ART UNITS · 1,654 DECIDED APPLICATIONS · LAST ACTION FEB 2021
ALLOWANCE RATE = SHARE OF DECIDED APPLICATIONS (ALLOWED + ABANDONED); PENDING EXCLUDED
OVERALL ALLOWANCE RATE · POOLED ACROSS 4 ART UNITS

Examiner Michael B Holmes has allowed 1,503 of 1,654 decided applications (91%) in Computer Architecture, Software, and Information Security.

91% pooled allowance · benchmarked per art unit below
DATA UPDATED JUNE 25, 2026
AU 2129 · 93%AU 2126 · 97%AU 2121 · 70%AU 2125 · 95%
// READING THIS EXAMINER

What the data says.

Michael B Holmes maintains a public record spanning 4 art units within Technology Center 2100 (Computer Architecture, Software, and Information Security). Across 1,654 disposed applications, he issued allowances in 1,503 cases, yielding an allowance rate of 91%. The allowance rate ranges from 70% to 97% across these art units, reflecting variation in outcomes by subject matter and application characteristics within TC 2100. This pooled figure represents decided cases only and does not include pending applications.

// HOW TO READ THESE NUMBERS

How to read these numbers.

A pooled record aggregates data across multiple art units, creating a single overall figure that reflects the examiner's combined history. The 91% allowance rate describes past outcomes across 1,654 decided applications and is not a prediction of any specific application's outcome. Variation across individual art units (70% to 97%) is normal and reflects differences in subject matter, applicant behavior, and case-specific factors. Pooled statistics describe historical frequency, not likelihood in any individual case.

These are aggregate statistics from this examiner's past public record — not predictions about any specific application. The per-art-unit figures below show how the record varies across art units. Our approach to patent prosecution →

// BY ART UNIT

The record, art unit by art unit.

Each section benchmarks this examiner against that art unit's average. Figures are this examiner's own public record within the art unit; the overall rate above pools them.

◈ PRIMARY · ART UNIT 2129
1,093 APPS · 93% ALLOWANCE

Primarily examines neural-network / biological-model computing, and machine learning.

93% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 65%
DISPOSITION1014 / 79 / 0allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION23.6 moart unit avg 28.5 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY32.5 moart unit avg 42.3 mo
// REJECTION PROFILE
§101 — Subject-matter eligibility27% · art unit 63%
§102 — Anticipation (novelty)41%
§103 — Obviousness20% · art unit 75%
§112 — Written description & definiteness9%
// INTERVIEW SPLIT

Allowance rate for applications with an examiner interview versus without one.

WITH INTERVIEW78%allowance share
WITHOUT INTERVIEW93%-15 pt difference

A correlation, not proof that interviews cause allowances. Based on 50 decided applications with an interview and 1,043 without.

ART UNIT 2126
278 APPS · 97% ALLOWANCE

Primarily examines neural-network / biological-model computing, and machine learning.

97% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 63%
DISPOSITION269 / 9 / 0allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION28.7 moart unit avg 29.4 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY38.1 moart unit avg 44.4 mo
// REJECTION PROFILE
§101 — Subject-matter eligibility20% · art unit 53%
§102 — Anticipation (novelty)36%
§103 — Obviousness40% · art unit 88%
§112 — Written description & definiteness42%
// INTERVIEW SPLIT

Allowance rate for applications with an examiner interview versus without one.

WITH INTERVIEW98%allowance share
WITHOUT INTERVIEW96%+2 pt difference

A correlation, not proof that interviews cause allowances. Based on 55 decided applications with an interview and 223 without.

ART UNIT 2121
199 APPS · 70% ALLOWANCE

Primarily examines neural-network / biological-model computing, and machine learning.

70% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 57%
DISPOSITION140 / 59 / 0allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION29.9 moart unit avg 27 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY46.6 moart unit avg 39.9 mo
// REJECTION PROFILE
§101 — Subject-matter eligibility94% · art unit 46%
§102 — Anticipation (novelty)35%
§103 — Obviousness35% · art unit 86%
§112 — Written description & definiteness6%
// INTERVIEW SPLIT

Allowance rate for applications with an examiner interview versus without one.

WITH INTERVIEW57%allowance share
WITHOUT INTERVIEW81%-24 pt difference

A correlation, not proof that interviews cause allowances. Based on 86 decided applications with an interview and 113 without.

ART UNIT 2125
84 APPS · 95% ALLOWANCE

Primarily examines neural-network / biological-model computing, and machine learning.

95% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 75%
DISPOSITION80 / 4 / 0allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION27.8 moart unit avg 26.4 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY40.4 moart unit avg 39 mo
// REJECTION PROFILE
§101 — Subject-matter eligibility98% · art unit 50%
§102 — Anticipation (novelty)20%
§103 — Obviousness20% · art unit 88%
§112 — Written description & definiteness4%
// INTERVIEW SPLIT

Allowance rate for applications with an examiner interview versus without one.

WITH INTERVIEW92%allowance share
WITHOUT INTERVIEW98%-6 pt difference

A correlation, not proof that interviews cause allowances. Based on 36 decided applications with an interview and 48 without.

// FAQ

Questions about Examiner Michael B Holmes

  • What is Michael B Holmes's overall allowance rate?
    91% of his 1,654 disposed applications were allowed; 151 were abandoned.
  • How many art units does he work in?
    He maintains a public record in 4 art units (2121, 2125, 2126, 2129) within Technology Center 2100.
  • Does the allowance rate vary across his art units?
    Yes. Allowance rates range from 70% to 97% across his art units, reflecting variation by subject matter and case characteristics.
  • What does this allowance rate mean for my application?
    The 91% figure is a historical summary and is not a prediction of any specific application's outcome. Each application is examined on its individual merits.
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METHODOLOGY & DISCLOSURES

Methodology. This page pools every art unit in which Examiner Michael B Holmes has a public record within Technology Center 2100. Statistics are computed from publicly available USPTO records, refreshed on a recurring schedule. This page's data was last updated June 25, 2026. The overall allowance rate is total allowed divided by total decided applications (allowed plus abandoned) across all art units — not an average of the per-art-unit rates; pending applications are excluded. Figures are rounded for display. Pooled sample: 1,654 applications.

Lynch LLP is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Examiner statistics are derived from publicly available USPTO data.

These statistics describe past examiner behavior and do not predict the outcome of any particular application. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Where this page compares an examiner's allowance rate to an art-unit average, that comparison is a factual description of the public record, not a characterization of any individual examiner's conduct or competence.

This page is for general informational purposes and is not legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed by viewing it. Full disclaimers →

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