European Patent Office

T 0301/95 (Straw man) of 27.06.1997

European Case Law Identifier
ECLI:EP:BA:1997:T030195.19970627
Date of decision
27 June 1997
Case number
T 0301/95
Petition for review of
-
Application number
88112875.5
IPC class
B29C 47/10
Language of proceedings
German
Distribution
Distributed to board chairmen (C)
Other decisions for this case
T 0301/95 2000-03-28
Abstracts for this decision
-
Application title
Vorrichtung zum Aufbereiten thermoplastischer Kunststoffgüter
Applicant name
INDUPACK AG
Opponent name
Emmerich Hartdegen
Board
3.2.05
Headnote

The following points of law of fundamental importance are referred to the Enlarged Board of Appeal under Article 112(1)(a) EPC:

1. Is an opposition filed by an indirect representative ("straw man") admissible?II. If the answer to I is no, to what extent does the objection to a "straw man" have to be investigated if circumstances are cited raising reasonable suspicion that the opponents are not acting in their own interests?

Keywords
Referral to the Enlarged Board of Appeal
Admissibility of opposition filed by a straw man
Evidence of acting as a straw man
Catchword
-

ORDER

For these reasons it is decided that:

The following points of law of fundamental importance are referred to the Enlarged Board of Appeal under Article 112(1)(a) EPC:

1. Is an opposition filed by an indirect representative ("straw man") admissible?

2. If the answer to 1 is no, to what extent does the objection to a "straw man" have to be investigated if circumstances are cited raising reasonable doubt that the opponents are not acting in their own interests?