(a) Upon the filing of an application for registration of a mark and payment of the application fee, the commissioner shall examine the application for conformity with AS 45.50.010 - 45.50.205. The commissioner may request additional information, including a description of a design mark, suggest amendments to the application, or suggest that a new application be filed. The applicant may provide the additional information requested, authorize the commissioner to make amendments to the application, or withdraw the application and file a new one to respond to a potential objection or rejection.

(b) As a condition of registration, the commissioner may require the applicant to disclaim an unregistrable component of a mark, or an applicant may voluntarily disclaim a component of a mark originally sought to be registered. A disclaimer under this subsection does not prejudice or affect the rights of an applicant or registrant

(1) in the disclaimed matter that exist at the time of the disclaimer or that arise later; or

(2) to register the disclaimed matter in another application if the disclaimed matter is or becomes distinctive of the applicant's or registrant's goods or services.

(c) If an applicant is found not to be entitled to registration of a mark, the commissioner shall notify the applicant and inform the applicant of the reasons for the finding. The commissioner shall give the applicant a reasonable period of time in which to reply or amend the application. If a reply or amendment is delivered to the commissioner within the designated period, the commissioner shall reexamine the application. Before making a final decision, an application may be amended and reexamined as many times as the commissioner determines to be necessary. However, if the applicant fails to reply or amend the application within the period designated by the commissioner, the application is considered abandoned.

(d) When the commissioner makes a final decision on the application, the commissioner shall notify the applicant in writing of the decision and that the decision is final, setting out the reasons for the decision if the application is disapproved. The applicant may appeal the commissioner's final decision to the superior court. The court may enter judgment setting aside, modifying, remanding, or affirming the decision.

(e) If the commissioner receives more than one application for registration of the same or a confusingly similar mark for the same or related goods or services, the commissioner shall grant the registration to the applicant who first filed the original application if the application otherwise qualifies for registration. A rejected applicant may bring an action in superior court for cancellation of the registration upon the grounds of prior or superior rights to the mark.