Detailed information about the 100 most recent patent applications.
| Application Number | Title | Filing Date | Disposal Date | Disposition | Time (months) | Office Actions | Restrictions | Interview | Appeal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18866237 | METHOD FOR ACTIVATING AT LEAST ONE ALIGNMENT SEGMENT OF A PROCESSING MACHINE | November 2024 | June 2025 | Allow | 7 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 18734280 | MEDIUM DISCHARGE DEVICE AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS | June 2024 | April 2025 | Allow | 11 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 18653023 | FIN BELT DUMP GATE SYSTEM AND METHOD | May 2024 | September 2024 | Allow | 4 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 18642640 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | April 2024 | March 2025 | Allow | 10 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 18293236 | PAPER SHEET TRANSPORT DEVICE AND PAPER SHEET HANDLING DEVICE | January 2024 | May 2025 | Allow | 16 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 18397278 | Short Travel Pusher Plate Stacking Bin | December 2023 | November 2024 | Allow | 11 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 18505475 | PROCESSING DEVICE AND RECORDING DEVICE | November 2023 | May 2025 | Allow | 18 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 18387189 | POST-PROCESSING DEVICE THAT CONTROLS TIMING THAT AIR BLOWER FORMS AIR LAYER BETWEEN UPPER FACE OF FIRST RECORDING SHEET AND LOWER FACE OF SECOND RECORDING SHEET, AND IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM | November 2023 | April 2025 | Allow | 17 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 18458045 | BELT CONVEYOR DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | August 2023 | March 2025 | Allow | 19 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 18447182 | SUPPORT FRAME FOR SHEET CONVEYING APPARATUS AND SHEET CONVEYING APPARATUS | August 2023 | June 2025 | Allow | 22 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 18228962 | DOCUMENT READING APPARATUS THAT PERMITS OR INHIBITS TRANSPORT OF DOCUMENT THROUGH HORIZONTAL TRANSPORT ROUTE, DEPENDING ON STATUS OF DISCHARGE TRAY, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | August 2023 | March 2025 | Allow | 19 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 18358107 | ROTATION UNIT, POST-PROCESSING DEVICE, AND CONVEYING FORCE APPLYING MEMBER | July 2023 | June 2025 | Allow | 23 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 18357454 | PAPER SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS | July 2023 | June 2025 | Allow | 23 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 18355149 | RECORDING DEVICE | July 2023 | January 2025 | Allow | 18 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 18355100 | SHEET SORTING APPARATUS | July 2023 | June 2024 | Allow | 11 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 18269606 | SHEET-PROCESSING MACHINE COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE TRANSPORT UNIT AND METHOD FOR THE STRAIGHT-TRACKING GUIDANCE OF AT LEAST ONE CONVEYOR BELT OF A SHEET-PROCESSING MACHINE | June 2023 | November 2024 | Abandon | 17 | 2 | 0 | No | No |
| 18259196 | SHEET PAPER PROCESSING DEVICE | June 2023 | June 2025 | Allow | 24 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 18337078 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETECTING SKEW OF BANKNOTES IN ATM | June 2023 | April 2025 | Allow | 22 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 18257196 | SHEET PROCESSING MACHINE | June 2023 | June 2025 | Allow | 25 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 18324985 | BELT FEEDING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | May 2023 | March 2024 | Allow | 10 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 18200637 | AUTOMATIC DOCUMENT FEEDER | May 2023 | March 2025 | Allow | 22 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 18252102 | A BANKNOTE STACK TRANSPORT ARRANGEMENT AND A CASH HANDLING MACHINE | May 2023 | October 2024 | Allow | 17 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 18311734 | MEDIUM DISCHARGE DEVICE AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS | May 2023 | February 2024 | Allow | 10 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 18140696 | MEDIA HANDLING DEVICE MODULE ALIGNMENT | April 2023 | February 2025 | Allow | 22 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 18140439 | Multi-Function Apparatus | April 2023 | March 2024 | Allow | 10 | 1 | 0 | Yes | No |
| 18307984 | DOCUMENT CONVEYING APPARATUS, IMAGE READING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | April 2023 | October 2024 | Allow | 18 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 18305517 | TRANSPORT DEVICE AND RECORDING DEVICE | April 2023 | July 2025 | Allow | 26 | 1 | 1 | No | No |
| 18138342 | SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS | April 2023 | September 2024 | Allow | 17 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 18302512 | Flywheel Energy Storage Device | April 2023 | February 2024 | Allow | 9 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 18300599 | DOCUMENT CONVEYING APPARATUS, IMAGE READING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | April 2023 | November 2024 | Allow | 19 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 18132501 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR FEEDING FLAT OBJECTS INTO A TRANSPORT CONTAINER | April 2023 | March 2025 | Allow | 23 | 2 | 0 | No | No |
| 18189858 | MEDIUM GUIDING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING DEVICE, IMAGE READING DEVICE AND POST-PROCESSING DEVICE | March 2023 | March 2025 | Abandon | 24 | 0 | 1 | No | No |
| 18187766 | SHEET STORAGE APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SHEET STORAGE APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | March 2023 | August 2024 | Allow | 17 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 18246058 | AUTOMATIC MAGAZINE LOADER FOR SUPPLYING CARTON BLANKS TO CARTON MAGAZINE | March 2023 | March 2025 | Allow | 24 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 18122736 | TRAY OPENING/CLOSING DEVICE, INCLUDING SLIDER HAVING PLURALITY OF DIPS AND BUMPS ON BOTTOM FACE AND ENGAGING PORTION HAVING PLURALITY OF DIPS AND BUMPS ON UPPER FACE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | March 2023 | September 2024 | Allow | 18 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 18185957 | SHEET DISCHARGE DEVICE AND SHEET POSTPROCESSING DEVICE PROVIDED THEREWITH | March 2023 | September 2024 | Allow | 18 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 18185147 | RECORDING DEVICE AND PROGRAM | March 2023 | December 2024 | Allow | 21 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 18121870 | Short Travel Pusher Plate Stacking Bin | March 2023 | October 2023 | Allow | 7 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 18118204 | MEDIUM FEEDING DEVICE | March 2023 | January 2025 | Allow | 22 | 1 | 0 | Yes | No |
| 18115980 | AN INKJET SHEET PRINTER WITH A SHEET STACKER COMPRISING A SHEET FLIPPING DEVICE | March 2023 | August 2024 | Allow | 18 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 18176020 | SHEET PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING THE SHEET PROCESSING APPARATUS | February 2023 | February 2025 | Allow | 24 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 18109966 | DOCUMENT FEEDER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | February 2023 | December 2023 | Allow | 10 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 18020930 | SINGLE-SHEET LIFTER | February 2023 | January 2025 | Allow | 23 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 18108033 | SHEET STORAGE APPARATUS | February 2023 | December 2024 | Allow | 22 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 18164537 | LIFTING APPARATUS AND SHEET STORAGE APPARATUS | February 2023 | August 2024 | Allow | 18 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 18164196 | SHEET FEEDER, LAMINATOR, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM | February 2023 | February 2025 | Allow | 25 | 2 | 0 | Yes | No |
| 18006939 | Printer | January 2023 | December 2024 | Allow | 23 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 18153860 | MEDIUM EJECTION APPARATUS TO CHANGE ANGLE OF EXTENSION TRAY | January 2023 | July 2024 | Allow | 18 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 18056369 | SHEET CONVEYANCE DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | November 2022 | May 2025 | Allow | 30 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 17983336 | PULL-IN APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, SHEET ACCOMMODATING APPARATUS, AND DRAW-OUT UNIT | November 2022 | April 2025 | Allow | 29 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 17974987 | SHEET STACKER, SHEET LAMINATOR, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM | October 2022 | December 2024 | Allow | 25 | 1 | 0 | Yes | No |
| 17921050 | BLANK FEEDING UNIT FOR A PACKER MACHINE AND PROVIDED WITH A SERIES OF INTERCHANGEABLE HOPPERS | October 2022 | March 2025 | Allow | 28 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 17970625 | DEPOSIT MACHINE HAVING CASSETTE WITH IMPROVED USABILITY | October 2022 | September 2024 | Allow | 23 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 17969807 | REPLACEABLE STACK SHEET | October 2022 | October 2024 | Allow | 24 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 17964063 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS THAT SORTS SHEETS TO ONE OF TWO TRANSPORT ROUTES | October 2022 | August 2024 | Allow | 22 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 17964044 | MOUNTING MEMBER, CYLINDER MEMBER, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | October 2022 | March 2025 | Allow | 29 | 1 | 1 | No | No |
| 17961049 | AUTOMATED TELLER MACHINE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME | October 2022 | May 2025 | Allow | 32 | 2 | 0 | No | No |
| 17936580 | IMAGE READING APPARATUS | September 2022 | August 2024 | Allow | 23 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 17930580 | CONVEYANCE ROUTE SWITCHING MECHANISM AND PAPER SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS | September 2022 | January 2024 | Allow | 16 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 17939446 | MEDIUM TRANSPORT DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | September 2022 | June 2025 | Allow | 33 | 2 | 0 | No | No |
| 17905664 | SHEET PILE SUPPORTING ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A SHEET PILE SUPPORTING ASSEMBLY | September 2022 | October 2024 | Allow | 25 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 17870665 | CASSETTE AND PRINTING APPARATUS | July 2022 | May 2024 | Allow | 22 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 17863464 | BILL STORAGE UNIT OF AUTOMATED TELLER MACHINE | July 2022 | July 2024 | Allow | 24 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 17861513 | PRINTING APPARATUS AND CONVEYANCE CONTROL METHOD | July 2022 | September 2023 | Allow | 14 | 2 | 0 | No | No |
| 17836459 | SHEET STACKING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | June 2022 | June 2023 | Allow | 12 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 17662763 | MEDIUM DISCHARGING APPARATUS, MEDIUM PROCESSING APPARATUS, AND RECORDING SYSTEM | May 2022 | December 2022 | Allow | 7 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 17664551 | MEDIUM CONVEYING APPARATUS TO KEEP SEPARATION ROLLER PRESSED TOWARD FEED ROLLER | May 2022 | February 2025 | Allow | 32 | 2 | 1 | Yes | No |
| 17747769 | SHEET POST-PROCESSING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS PROVIDED THEREWITH | May 2022 | August 2024 | Allow | 27 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 17740172 | SHEET FEEDING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | May 2022 | February 2024 | Allow | 22 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 17730544 | SHEET PROCESSING APPARATUS | April 2022 | May 2024 | Allow | 24 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 17719105 | CONVEYANCE DEVICE WITH ACCESS COVER CAPABLE OF EXPOSING INTERNAL STRUCTURE | April 2022 | June 2023 | Allow | 14 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 17716810 | PULL-OUT LOCK DEVICE FOR SHEET CONTAINER AND IMAGE-FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME | April 2022 | May 2025 | Allow | 37 | 0 | 1 | No | No |
| 17708430 | DOCUMENT FEEDER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | March 2022 | November 2022 | Allow | 8 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 17691044 | SHEET STORAGE DEVICE, IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, AND CONTROL METHOD | March 2022 | November 2023 | Allow | 21 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 17652955 | MEDIUM LOADING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM | March 2022 | March 2023 | Allow | 13 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 17679092 | SHEET PROCESSING MACHINE AND SHEET PROCESSING METHOD | February 2022 | April 2023 | Allow | 13 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 17584947 | CONVEYANCE APPARATUS AND PRINTING APPARATUS | January 2022 | May 2024 | Allow | 28 | 2 | 0 | No | No |
| 17584579 | SHEET CONVEYANCE APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | January 2022 | March 2023 | Allow | 14 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 17580277 | CONVEYANCE CONTROL DEVICE AND CONVEYANCE CONTROL METHOD | January 2022 | December 2024 | Allow | 34 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 17567154 | BI-DIRECTIONAL PAPER PICKUP MECHANISM | January 2022 | August 2023 | Allow | 19 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 17567155 | PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM | January 2022 | January 2023 | Allow | 13 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 17560988 | IMAGE READING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING THE IMAGE READING DEVICE | December 2021 | January 2024 | Allow | 25 | 1 | 0 | Yes | No |
| 17555811 | Printed Vote Record Systems, Retrofit Automatic Document Feeders And Methods To Transfer A Printed Vote Record Sheet From A Legacy Printer To A Legacy Scanner Without Human Intervention | December 2021 | July 2024 | Allow | 31 | 2 | 0 | No | No |
| 17548354 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | December 2021 | October 2023 | Allow | 23 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 17643380 | MEDIUM CONVEYING APPARATUS TO NOTIFY USER OF CLEANING INSTRUCTION OR REPLACEMENT INSTRUCTION OF FEED ROLLER | December 2021 | July 2023 | Abandon | 19 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 17539319 | SHEET FEEDING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | December 2021 | January 2024 | Allow | 25 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 17615168 | SHEET-PROCESSING MACHINE COMPRISING A TURNING DEVICE, METHOD FOR CONVEYING SHEETS, AND USE OF SHEET GUIDE ELEMENTS CONTAINING DEIONIZATION DEVICES | November 2021 | July 2022 | Allow | 7 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 17532643 | SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM | November 2021 | April 2024 | Allow | 29 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 17529414 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | November 2021 | September 2023 | Allow | 22 | 1 | 0 | Yes | No |
| 17528433 | PRINTING APPARATUS | November 2021 | September 2023 | Allow | 22 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 17521570 | ACTUATION OF PICK MECHANISMS FOR MEDIA STACK HEIGHT SENSING BASED ON NUMBER OF PRINTED SHEETS | November 2021 | July 2023 | Allow | 20 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 17516800 | PRINTING SYSTEM FOR MEDIA WITH NON-UNIFORM THICKNESS | November 2021 | November 2022 | Allow | 13 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 17598651 | MEDIUM PROCESSING DEVICE AND METHOD OF CONNECTING UNITS IN MEDIUM PROCESSING DEVICE | September 2021 | October 2024 | Allow | 37 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 17437444 | PAPER SHEET PROCESSING DEVICE AND PAPER SHEET PROCESSING METHOD | September 2021 | July 2024 | Allow | 35 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 17468416 | BELT FEEDING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | September 2021 | February 2023 | Allow | 18 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 17404681 | PRINTING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR AND STORAGE MEDIUM | August 2021 | August 2023 | Allow | 24 | 2 | 0 | No | No |
| 17401995 | SHEET PROCESSING MACHINE | August 2021 | July 2024 | Allow | 35 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 17398543 | GEAR, SHEET CONVEYANCE DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | August 2021 | March 2024 | Allow | 31 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| 17377428 | BUNDLE MODULE OF MEDIUM DEPOSIT DEVICE | July 2021 | March 2024 | Allow | 32 | 1 | 0 | No | No |
| 17372924 | SHEET CONVEYING DEVICE AND SHEET CONVEYING METHOD | July 2021 | March 2023 | Allow | 20 | 0 | 0 | No | No |
This analysis examines appeal outcomes and the strategic value of filing appeals for examiner SEVERSON, JEREMY R.
With a 0.0% reversal rate, the PTAB affirms the examiner's rejections in the vast majority of cases. This reversal rate is in the bottom 25% across the USPTO, indicating that appeals face significant challenges here.
Filing a Notice of Appeal can sometimes lead to allowance even before the appeal is fully briefed or decided by the PTAB. This occurs when the examiner or their supervisor reconsiders the rejection during the mandatory appeal conference (MPEP § 1207.01) after the appeal is filed.
In this dataset, 0.0% of applications that filed an appeal were subsequently allowed. This appeal filing benefit rate is in the bottom 25% across the USPTO, indicating that filing appeals is less effective here than in most other areas.
⚠ Appeals to PTAB face challenges. Ensure your case has strong merit before committing to full Board review.
⚠ Filing a Notice of Appeal shows limited benefit. Consider other strategies like interviews or amendments before appealing.
Examiner SEVERSON, JEREMY R works in Art Unit 1759 and has examined 271 patent applications in our dataset. With an allowance rate of 95.2%, this examiner allows applications at a higher rate than most examiners at the USPTO. Applications typically reach final disposition in approximately 24 months.
Examiner SEVERSON, JEREMY R's allowance rate of 95.2% places them in the 86% percentile among all USPTO examiners. This examiner is more likely to allow applications than most examiners at the USPTO.
On average, applications examined by SEVERSON, JEREMY R receive 1.10 office actions before reaching final disposition. This places the examiner in the 16% percentile for office actions issued. This examiner issues significantly fewer office actions than most examiners.
The median time to disposition (half-life) for applications examined by SEVERSON, JEREMY R is 24 months. This places the examiner in the 70% percentile for prosecution speed. Prosecution timelines are slightly faster than average with this examiner.
Conducting an examiner interview provides a +0.0% benefit to allowance rate for applications examined by SEVERSON, JEREMY R. This interview benefit is in the 12% percentile among all examiners. Note: Interviews show limited statistical benefit with this examiner compared to others, though they may still be valuable for clarifying issues.
When applicants file an RCE with this examiner, 41.2% of applications are subsequently allowed. This success rate is in the 91% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Insight: RCEs are highly effective with this examiner compared to others. If you receive a final rejection, filing an RCE with substantive amendments or arguments has a strong likelihood of success.
This examiner enters after-final amendments leading to allowance in 56.9% of cases where such amendments are filed. This entry rate is in the 79% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Recommendation: This examiner is highly receptive to after-final amendments compared to other examiners. Per MPEP § 714.12, after-final amendments may be entered "under justifiable circumstances." Consider filing after-final amendments with a clear showing of allowability rather than immediately filing an RCE, as this examiner frequently enters such amendments.
When applicants request a pre-appeal conference (PAC) with this examiner, 0.0% result in withdrawal of the rejection or reopening of prosecution. This success rate is in the 3% percentile among all examiners. Note: Pre-appeal conferences show limited success with this examiner compared to others. While still worth considering, be prepared to proceed with a full appeal brief if the PAC does not result in favorable action.
This examiner withdraws rejections or reopens prosecution in 66.7% of appeals filed. This is in the 42% percentile among all examiners. Of these withdrawals, 50.0% occur early in the appeal process (after Notice of Appeal but before Appeal Brief). Strategic Insight: This examiner shows below-average willingness to reconsider rejections during appeals. Be prepared to fully prosecute appeals if filed.
When applicants file petitions regarding this examiner's actions, 60.0% are granted (fully or in part). This grant rate is in the 76% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Note: Petitions are frequently granted regarding this examiner's actions compared to other examiners. Per MPEP § 1002.02(c), various examiner actions are petitionable to the Technology Center Director, including prematureness of final rejection, refusal to enter amendments, and requirement for information. If you believe an examiner action is improper, consider filing a petition.
Examiner's Amendments: This examiner makes examiner's amendments in 1.5% of allowed cases (in the 73% percentile). This examiner makes examiner's amendments more often than average to place applications in condition for allowance (MPEP § 1302.04).
Quayle Actions: This examiner issues Ex Parte Quayle actions in 5.4% of allowed cases (in the 80% percentile). Per MPEP § 714.14, a Quayle action indicates that all claims are allowable but formal matters remain. This examiner frequently uses Quayle actions compared to other examiners, which is a positive indicator that once substantive issues are resolved, allowance follows quickly.
Based on the statistical analysis of this examiner's prosecution patterns, here are tailored strategic recommendations:
Not Legal Advice: The information provided in this report is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. You should consult with a qualified patent attorney or agent for advice specific to your situation.
No Guarantees: We do not provide any guarantees as to the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the statistics presented above. Patent prosecution statistics are derived from publicly available USPTO data and are subject to data quality limitations, processing errors, and changes in USPTO practices over time.
Limitation of Liability: Under no circumstances will IronCrow AI be liable for any outcome, decision, or action resulting from your reliance on the statistics, analysis, or recommendations presented in this report. Past prosecution patterns do not guarantee future results.
Use at Your Own Risk: While we strive to provide accurate and useful prosecution statistics, you should independently verify any information that is material to your prosecution strategy and use your professional judgment in all patent prosecution matters.