Posts Tagged: "opposition proceeding"

TTAB Finds Standing for AT&T Mobility to Oppose Registration of CINGULAR

The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) has recently issued a decision allowing an opposition proceeding to continue after finding that opposer AT&T Mobility had standing to bring the proceeding to the TTAB. Applicants Mark Thomann and Dormitus Brands had argued that AT&T Mobility did not have standing to oppose applications to register “CINGULAR” trademarks because the opposer abandoned its own marks when it changed its business name more than a decade earlier. Although AT&T Mobility has demonstrated to the TTAB its basic ability to bring claims in the opposition proceeding, Eric Perrott, trademark and copyright attorney with Gerben Law Firm, notes that the low threshold AT&T Mobility has cleared doesn’t mean that the entity will be successful on its claims.

MLBPA Files Opposition at TTAB over ‘Here Comes the Judge’ Trademark Application

On March 21st, the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) filed a formal notice of opposition at the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) to challenge a federal trademark application filed by Michael P. Chisena of Garden City, NY. The trademark application, U.S. Trademark Application No. 87528440, seeks to protect the use of the standard character mark “HERE COMES THE JUDGE” in commerce on clothing including T-shirts, jerseys, athletic uniforms and caps.

Vegas Golden Knights trademark challenged by U.S. Army at TTAB

The notice of opposition filed by the Army to challenge the “VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS” mark cites multiple grounds for opposition including priority and likelihood of confusion, dilution by blurring and false suggestion of a connection with an institution. In the case, the Army is asserting its own unregistered trademark of “GOLDEN KNIGHTS” used in connection with entertainment exhibition services, public relations and recruiting. Although the Army is opposing a standard character mark without a claimed color scheme, it also notes that the Vegas Golden Knights have chosen a similar black+gold/yellow+white scheme on uniforms and advertisements, which are used by West Point’s hockey team, known as the Black Knights, as well as the Tate Rink arena where the Black Knights play. This similar color scheme may further contribute to consumer confusion, the Army argues.

Event planner Blue Ivy wins motion for early discovery in trademark opposition case against Beyoncé

On June 21st, however, an administrative trademark judge at the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) granted Blue Ivy’s motion for early discovery. The discovery is limited to the grounds of no bona fide intent and fraud on the USPTO. Blue Ivy alleges that, although BGK Trademark Holdings is claiming the use of the BLUE IVY CARTER mark for a wide range of goods and services, that there’s no true intent to use the mark in commerce at all.

Jägermeister files trademark opposition with TTAB over similar Milwaukee Bucks logo

In April 2015, the National Basketball Association’s Milwaukee Bucks announced that it was in the midst of a project to redesign the team’s logo. Reports indicated that the logo would retain a version of the deer’s head which had graced the team’s previous logo, but with a new green and cream color scheme… The TTAB petition filed by Jägermeister identifies a series of eight U.S. trademarks held by the liqueur maker as grounds for opposition to the Bucks’ ‘186 trademark application. The vast majority of these marks have only been registered for use in trademark class 33 which covers alcoholic beverages except for beers.