Tag archives: TTAB

Don’t Mess With the (Aaron) Judge

By Nathan Mannebach (US) on May 9, 2023 Posted in Trademark

In a precedential decision, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“TTAB”) found a likelihood of confusion between the applied-for marks sought by Applicant, Michael P. Chisena, and the common law rights owned by Opposers, Major League Baseball Players Association (“MLBPA”) and Aaron Judge (“Judge”). Major League Baseball Players Ass’n v. Chisena, 2023 U.S.P.Q.2D 444, 2023 … Continue reading

Apple’s Tacking Attempt in Trademark Opposition Hits a Sour Note

By Stephanie Schmidt (US) on April 17, 2023 Posted in Trademark

On April 4, in Bertini v. Apple Inc., the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (“Federal Circuit”) clarified the limitations of tacking and its application in establishing priority in trademark disputes. This case sets an important precedent for tacking use of a mark in the trademark registration context and highlights the limitations of … Continue reading

The New York Times Company Secures Registration of Six Column Names, Including LIKE A BOSS and THE NEW OLD AGE

By Kaylee A. Sill (US) on April 11, 2023 Posted in Trademark

In a precedential decision, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (the “Board”) reversed six refusals to register The New York Times Company’s (the “Times”) names of its newspaper columns, THE NEW OLD AGE, A GOOD APPETITE, HUNGRY CITY, WORK FRIEND, OFF THE SHELF, and LIKE A BOSS (the “Marks”). The Times applied to register the … Continue reading

TTAB Begins Pretrial Conference Pilot Program

By Stephanie Schmidt (US) on April 5, 2023 Posted in Trademark

This week, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) introduced a new pilot program for holding Final Pretrial Conferences (FPC) in certain inter partes disputes (i.e., oppositions and cancellations) before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB). The goal of the pilot, according to the USPTO, is “to save time and resources of parties … Continue reading

Transliterations of Chinese Characters Require a Translation Statement

By Nathan Mannebach (US) on January 30, 2023 Posted in Intellectual Property, Trademark

The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“TTAB”) refused registration of the mark “ZHIMA” because the applicant, Advanced New Technologies Co., Ltd., did not submit a translation of ZHIMA into English. In re Advanced New Techs. Co., 2023 TTAB LEXIS 2, 2023 WL 181172 (TTAB Jan. 12, 2023). In the original refusal, the Examining Attorney determined … Continue reading

TTAB rules reckless disregard for the truth constitutes fraud

By Kaylee A. Sill (US) on February 22, 2022 Posted in Brands, Consumer goods, Intellectual Property, technology and innovation

In Chutter, Inc. v. Great Management Group, LLC, a precedential decision, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) held that recklessly false representations made during the course of the trademark application process satisfy the level of intent required to support a finding of fraud before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).[1] The TTAB’s … Continue reading

TTAB revises its Rules of Practice

By Saul Perloff (US) on November 9, 2016 Posted in Trademark

The U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) is amending its Rules of Practice, effective January 14, 2017. On October 7, 2016, TTAB published a notice of final rulemaking in the Federal Register describing the revisions. The new changes are intended to clarify and improve the efficiency of inter partes and ex parte appeal proceedings and … Continue reading