Source: http://iplegalcorner.com/noteworthy-domain-name-decisions-2015/
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 04:43:51+00:00

Document:
Mr. Levine is the author of a treatise on trademarks, domain names, and cybersquatting, Domain Name Arbitration, A Practical Guide to Asserting and Defending Claims of Cybersquatting under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy. (2015, 558 pages). Learn more about the book at Legal Corner Press. Available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Update and Supplement published January 2017.
Analytical discussions of decisions can be found in recent and archival essays. Noteworthy Domain Name decisions for 2016 can be read here.
Jysk joins three other federal cases in which domain name holders are accused of abusive registration for “re-registering” or renewing domain names in violation of the ACPA: Schmidheiny v. Weber, 319 F.3d 581 (3d Cir. 2003) (“re-registering”), Southern Grouts & Mortars, Inc. v. 3M Company, 575 F.3d 1235 (11th Cir. 2009) (renewing registration), and GOPETS Ltd. v. Hise, Digital Overture, Inc., 657 F.3d 1024, 1032 (9th Cir. 2011) (re-registering and renewing by a transferee). The court uses “re-registration” to describe a situation in which the domain name has been registered by subsequent purchaser; to distinguish it from the original registration).
The Third and Ninth Circuits construe the concept of “registration” under the ACPA differently, at least as they apply the law to the particular facts in dispute. According to the Eleventh Circuit in Jysk, which now sides with the Third Circuit, the Ninth Circuit “viewed the domain-name registration through the lens of property law, rather than through the Third Circuit’s analogy to contract law.” This reference to lenses may be true, but a better explanation for the different results in Schmidheiny and GOPETS is that the courts were responding to different factual circumstances.
The different results in Schmidheiny and GOPETS have been absorbed into the UDRP jurisprudence. See Twitter, Inc. v. Geigo, Inc., D2011-1210 (WIPO November 2, 2011).
By design the UDRP is a nonexclusive, alternative forum for resolving claims of cybersquatting. The opening sentence of paragraph 4(k) affirms respondent’s right to submit “the dispute to a court of competent jurisdiction for independent resolution before such mandatory administrative proceeding is commenced or after such proceeding is concluded.” This assumes there are national laws providing subject matter jurisdiction for claims of cybesquatting, but if there are no such laws then paragraph 4(k) is illusory. Yoyo.email and earlier UK cases make it clear that awards under Nominet’s Dispute Resolution Policy and the UDRP canceling or transferring domain names to complainants are conclusive against respondents. Big thank you to Rebecca Mitton UK attorney for sending me a copy of the judgment and Order.
Quicken Loans Inc. v. Laura Yun / Offshore Hosting Solutions Ltd., FA1510001644564 (Forum December 11, 2015) (<clicknloan.org>).
In assessing similarity that is confusing—one of the two elements for standing to maintain a UDRP proceeding—inferences are based on adding, subtracting, exchanging, reversing, and omitting characters in comparing the second level domain with the trademark. Sound, look, sense, and feel are prominent clues in making the assessment: aural (<ecolab.com> and EKOLAB), visual (<awardsforce.com and AWARD FORCE), conceptual (<tumlr.com> and TUMBLR), and phonetic (<bunsandnoble.com> and BARNES AND NOBLE).
bwin.party digital entertainment plc and ElectraWorks Limited v. B7win Ltd, D2015-1709 (WIPO November 25, 2015).
There is no patience for parties who fail to comply with the demands of the Policy, procedurally and substantively, although this does not necessarily result in forfeiture. See for example Edatanetworks Inc. v. Joe Racek, Network of Giving, D2015-1608 (WIPO November 18, 2015) (Earlier registered domain name, later acquired trademark). As a general rule late responses are accepted where 1) they are not filed substantially late and before commencement of the decision making process; 2) failure to take the response into account would have led to a miscarriage of justice; and 3) the response is late by only one day and would not have prejudiced the complainant.
However, in bwin.party “Respondent did not reply to the Complainants’ contentions. Instead, it asks for an extension of time to respond, which it submitted well after this Panel’s appointment and three days prior to the decision deadline. The only reason submitted for the request was: ‘We check the complaint with our lawyers, and ask for more time to respond.’” In Edatanetworks Respondent did not appear but it made no difference.
The Panel found <metro-franchise.com> sufficiently similar to METROPCS to be confusing in that it contained the dominant element of the trademark, “Metro.” The similarity here appears to be on the border line of confusing, but the burden is relatively light and any doubt favors standing; this is even more so when considering the totality of circumstances which in this case showed that Respondent was phishing for personal information from Complainant’s customers. Under other circumstances, a dictionary word (or, in this case an abbreviation of “Metropolitan”) could support a legitimate interest. However, since the domain name postdated the mark its unlawful use supported bad faith registration.
Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. v. Whois Privacy Protection Service, Inc. / Domain Manager, Affordable Webhosting, Inc., Advertising, D2015-1664 (WIPO November 13, 2015) (<bankwell.com>).
Dictionary words are generic when employed denotatively for their ascribed meanings, therefore incapable of trademark status, but can nevertheless acquire distinction if used connotatively as arbitrary or suggestive symbols. It follows too that compounds composed of generic terms are not condemned to being generic; can in fact be distinctive and qualify for trademark registration on the Principal Register. In this case, Respondent and Dissent argued that “greencraft” was as generic as “green” and “craft.” However, the creation of a compound can be an imaginative act that is not merely descriptive; it does not descend in value because it is composed of two generic terms.
However, applied too rigidly this mantra can create an injustice which the Panel particularly highlights in this case because it also found that Respondent had no right or legitimate interest in the domain name and was using it unlawfully to phish Complainant’s customers.
Brian Fera v. Media Options S.A., D2015-1470 (WIPO October 16, 2015) and Delta Air Lines, Inc. v. Chad Meyerson, FA1509001636800 (Forum October 19, 2015).
Ordinarily, the top level domain is “traditionally discounted . . . when making the assessment [of abusive registration] . . . precisely because the top level domain identifier is generic and of neutral effect when considering the significance of the domain name at the second level.” Brian Fera. However, the significance of top level domains must be considered where in combination with the second level they appear to take advantage of complainants’ trademarks. In both these cases Complainants succeeded in establishing that the domain names were identical or confusingly similar to registered trademarks—WICOM and <wi.com>, visually identical, and DELTA, no trademark for “delta tours”—but for different reasons both failed on the second or third requirements. These two can be compared with Securian Financial Group, Inc. v. me s / enom, FA1595614 (Forum January 16, 2015) (MINNESOTA LIFE and <minnesota.life>) in which the Panel noted that the combination of second level and top level domain was identical to Complainant’s trademark.
Katch, LLC v. Thomas Korula / Mahaya, FA1508001633953 (Forum October 3, 2015).
The consensus is that panelists are not prohibited from doing independent factual research in aid of “reach[ing] the right decision.” However, although the right decision theoretically delivers justice it relieves the benefiting party from having to prove its case, thereby raising a question as to the Panel’s neutrality. This is particularly problematic with a defaulting respondent who benefits from the Panel’s factual research as was the case in Magix. In any event, the best practice if the Panel undertakes the factual research is to provide an opportunity for the parties to respond, which is also noted as a consensus view in Paragraph 4.5 of the WIPO Overview of WIPO Panel Views on Selected UDRP Questions.
Strebor, LLC d/b/a Power Tool Repair v. Ronald Manuele / R & R TOOL REPAIR, FA150800 1634899 (Forum September 28, 2015) (<ohiopowertoolrepair.com>).
Important lesson. As the Panel makes clear in denying reverse domain name hijacking if Complainant (represented by counsel) had marshaled its evidence for unregistered rights it could have prevailed.
Although registrants generally have no duty to investigate whether third parties have trademarks some investigation is expected for parties in the domain name reselling business. Denial of knowledge is particularly implausible where the mark is well known, and particularly in those cases (as here) where respondents immediately after acquiring domain names offer them to complainants.
The consensus position for standing under paragraph 4(a)(i) of the Policy is that it is satisfied regardless of the date of complainant’s acquisition of trademark. Panelist in this case (as he has in deciding earlier cases) departs from consensus: “As Complainant has not demonstrated that its rights predate Registrant’s domain name, Complainant has not satisfied paragraph 4(a)(i) of the Policy.” The logic is plain even though not generally accepted by other panelists: unless complainant is able to establish use in commerce earlier than registration of the domain name it lacks standing to maintain the proceedings.
Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences v. GoDaddy.com, Inc., CV 10-03738 (C.D. CA September 10, 2015).
Particularly interesting is the court’s endorsement of a DMCA-style notice and takedown process as a means of allowing trademark holders to report potential trademark infringements. Moving registrants out of the “parked page program” is not inconsistent with ICANN’s policy since the remedy does not involve canceling, suspending, or transferring the domain name.
iPayment, Inc. v. Domain Hostmaster, Customer ID: 83314393006017, Whois Privacy Services Pty Ltd / Kwangpyo Kim, Mediablue Inc., D2015-1014 (WIPO September 2, 2015) (<ipayments.com>).
Credibility plays a significant role in assessing merits of parties’ positions. In this case Complainant’s failure to disclose material facts coupled with making unfounded allegations and falsifying the circumstances of its prior ownership of the domain name resulted in the three member Panel dismissing the complaint and finding reverse domain name hijacking. Although not mentioned by the Panel Complainant’s conduct violated the certification Rule 3(b)(xiv) and (5(b)(viii) for respondent). The certification rule is equivalent to Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
On the issue of free speech there are always aberrational panelists so adamant in their espousal of View 1 that website content is ignored entirely even though a domain name may clearly forecast commentary and criticism. The Panel in this case held that “Respondent’s bad faith use or registration may not be defended by any claim that using a confusingly similar domain name is protected by free speech rights.” The award will depend on the panelist appointed to hear the dispute.
Zippo Manufacturing Company v. Perfect Privacy, LLC / Fred Martin, D2015-0964 (WIPO August 12, 2015) (<zippolighterproducts.com>).
3-Member Panel rejects the proposition that subsequent renewals of disputed domain name “with knowledge of Complainant’s trademark suffice to establish bad faith registration,” citing several UDRP decisions to that effect, including Big 5 Corp. v EyeAim.com, FA 1513704 (NAF, Oct. 11, 2013) but inexplicably elevates the view into an official “minority position” (which it is not) to deny reverse domain name hijacking.

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