Article 81 — Oral proceedings

1. If the Office considers that oral proceedings would be expedient, they shall be held either at the instance of the Office or at the request of any party to the proceedings. 2. Oral proceedings before the examiners and the department in charge of the Register shall not be public. 3. Oral proceedings, including the delivery of the decision, before the Invalidity Divisions and the Boards of Appeal shall be public, unless the department before which the proceedings are taking place decides otherwise in cases where the admission of the public could have serious and unjustified disadvantages, in particular for a party to the proceedings.