A three member UDRP panel has found Edward Smith of Riverside California, Guilty of Reverse Domain Name Hijacking (RDNH) in the attempt grab of the domain name Joopa.com
Mr. Smith, who just filed for a trademark on the term Joopa on March 2011, which was granted in December 2012, tried to use the trademark to grab the domain name Joopa.com which was registered some 12 years earlier on January 25, 2000.
The three member panel stated in part:
“In the instant action, the Complainant has not established rights under the Policy and for the reasons state above should have known it could not do so. ”
“Further, the Complainant filed its trademark application shortly after it was unable to acquire the Disputed Domain Name from the Respondent on acceptable terms. ”
“The panel finds that failing in this effort, the Complainant undertook to use the Policy to acquire the Disputed Domain Name.”
“The panel finds that the Complaint has attempted reverse domain name hijacking in violation of the Rules.”
The trademark was granted for: :
“Providing a web site featuring product ratings of the consumer goods and services of others in the field of restaurants, politics, employers, technology, art, and movies”…
