US010: Marks, Regulations, Title 37 CFR (Ch. I) Subch. A Parts 2 & 6
TITLE 37, CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 1-PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE,
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
SUBCHAPTER A-GENERAL
PART 1-RULES OF PRACTICE IN PATENT CASES
Authority: 35 U.S.C. 6, unless otherwise noted.
Source: 24FR 10322, Dec. 22, 1959, unless otherwise noted.
GENERAL INFORMATION AND CORRESPONDENCE
37 CFR 1.1 All communications to be addressed to the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks.
(a) All letters and other communications intended for the Patent and Trademark Office must be addressed to "Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks," Washington, D.C. 20231. When appropriate, a letter should also be marked for the attention of a particular officer or individual.
(b) Letters and other communications relating to international applications during the international stage and prior to the assignment of a national serial number should be additionally marked "Box PCT."
(c) Requests for reexamination should be additionally marked "Box Reexam."
(d) Payments of maintenance fees in patents and other communications relating thereto should be additionally marked "Box M. Fee."
(e) Communications relating to interferences and applications or patents involved in an interference should be additionally marked "BOX INTERFERENCE."
(f) All applications for extension of patent term and any communications relating thereto intended for the Patent and Trademark Office should be additionally marked "Box Patent Ext." When appropriate, the communication should also be marked to the attention of a particular individual, as where a decision has been rendered.
(g) All communications relating to pending litigation which are required by the Federal Rules of Civil or Appellate Procedure or by a rule or order of a court to be served on the Solicitor shall be hand-delivered to the Office of the Solicitor or shall be mailed to: Office of the Solicitor, P.O. Box 15667, Arlington, Virginia 22215 or such other address as may be designated in writing in the litigation. All other communications to the Office of the Solicitor should be addressed to: Box 8, Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks, Washington, D.C. 20231. Any communication which does not involve pending litigation which is received at P.O. Box 15667 will not be filed in the Office but will be returned. See §§ 1.302(c) and 2.145(b)(3) for filing notice of appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
[46 FR 29181, May 29, 1981, as amended at 49 FR 34724, Aug. 31, 1984; 49 FR 48451, Dec. 12, 1984; 52 FR 9394, Mar. 24, 1987; 53 FR 16413, May 9, 1988; 54 FR 37588, Sept. 11, 1989.
37 CFR 1.8 Certificate of mailing.
(a) Except in the cases enumerated below, papers and fees required to be filed in the Patent and Trademark Office within a set period of time will be considered as being timely filed if:
(1) They are addressed to the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks, Washington, D.C. 20231, and deposited with the U.S. Postal Service with sufficient postage as first class mail prior to expiration of the set period; and
(2) They also include a certificate for each paper or fee stating the date of deposit. The person signing the certificate should have reasonable basis to expect that the correspondence would be mailed on or before the date indicated. The actual date of receipt of the paper or fee will be used for all other purposes. This procedure does not apply to the following:
(i) The filing of a national patent application specification and drawing or other papers for the purpose of obtaining an application filing date;
(ii) The filing of trademark applications;
(iii) The filing of agreements between parties to an interference under 35 U.S.C. 135(c);
(x) The filing of a statement under 42 U.S.C. 2182 or 42 U.S.C. 2457(c);
(xi) The filing of international applications for patent an all papers and fees relating to thereto:
(xii) The filing of a paper in an interference which an examiner-in-chief orders to be filed by hand or "Express Mail";
(xiii) Papers filed in connection with a disciplinary proceeding under Part 10 of this subchapter;
(b) In the event that correspondence or fees are timely filed in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section, but not received in the Patent and Trademark Office, and the application is held to be abandoned or the proceeding dismissed, terminated, or decided with prejudice, the correspondence or fee will be considered timely if the party who forwarded such correspondence or fee:
(1) informs the Office of the previous mailing of the correspondence or fee promptly after becoming aware of the Office action,
(2) supplies an additional copy of the previously mailed correspondence or fee and certificate, and
(3) includes a declaration under § 1.68 or § 2.20 which attests on a personal knowledge basis or to the satisfaction of the Commissioner to the previous timely mailing.
[41 FR 43721, Oct. 4, 1976, as amended at 47 FR 47381, Oct. 26, 1982; 48 FR 2708, Jan. 20, 1983; 49 FR 48451, Dec. 12, 1984; 50 FR 5171, Feb. 6, 1985; 52 FR 20046, May 28, 1987; 54 FR 37588, Sept. 11, 1989]
PART 2-RULES OF PRACTICE IN TRADEMARK CASES
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 1123; 35 U.S.C. 6, unless otherwise noted.
Source: 30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, unless otherwise noted.
RULES APPLICABLE TO TRADEMARK CASES
37 CFR 2.1 Sections of Part 1 applicable.
Sections 1.1 to 1.26 of this chapter are applicable to trademark cases except such parts thereof which specifically refer to patents and except § 1.22 to the extent that it is inconsistent with §§ 2.85(e), 2.101(d), 2.111(c) or § 2.162(d). Other sections of Part 1 incorporated by reference or referred to in particular sections of this part are also applicable to trademark cases.
[51 FR 28709, Aug. 11, 1986]
37 CFR 2.2 Definitions.
(a) The Act as used in this part means the Trademark Act of 1946, 60 Stat. 427, as amended, codified in 15 U.S.C. 1051 et. seq.
(b) Entity as used in this part includes both natural and juristic persons.
[54 FR 37588, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.6 Trademark fees.
The following fees and charges are established by the Patent and Trademark Office for trademark cases:
(a) Trademark Process Fees
(1) For filing an application, per class 245.00
(5) For filing an application for renewal of a registration, per class 300.00
(6) Additional fee for filing a renewal application made within three months after the expiration of the registration, per class 100.00
(7) For filing to publish a mark under section 12(c), per class 100.00
(8) For issuing new certificate of registration 100.00
(9) For a certificate of correction of registrant's error 100.00
(10) For filing a disclaimer to a registration 100.00
(11) For filing an amendment to a registration 100.00
(15) For petitions to the Commissioner 100.00
(16) For filing a petition to cancel, per class 200.00
(17) For filing a notice of opposition, per class 200.00
(18) For ex parte appeal to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, per class 100.00
(19) Dividing an application, per new application (file wrapper) created 100.00
(b) Trademark service fees
(1) For printed copy of registered mark, copy only
(i) Regular service 3.00
(ii) Expedited local service 6.00
(iii) Expedited service for copy ordered by electronic ordering service and delivered to the customer within two work days 25.00
(2) Certified or uncertified copy of trademark application as filed:
(i) Regular service 15.00
(ii) Expedited local service 30.00
(3) Certified or uncertified copy of trademark-related file wrapper and contents 50.00
(4) Certified copy of registered mark, showing title and/or status:
(i) Regular service 10.00
(ii) Expedited local service 20.00
(5) Certified or uncertified copy of trademark records, per document, unless otherwise provided in this section 25.00
(6) For recording each trademark assignment, agreement or other paper relating to the property in a registration or application
(i) First property in a document 40.00
(ii) For each additional property in the same document 25.00
(7) For assignment records, abstract of title and certification, per registration 25.00
(8) Marginal cost, paid in advance, for each hour of terminal session time, including print time, using T-Search capabilities, prorated for the actual time used. The Commissioner may waive the payment by an individual for access to T-Search upon a showing of need or hardship, and if such waiver is in the public interest 40.00
(9) Self-service copy charge, per page 0.25
(10) Labor charges for services, per hour or fraction thereof 30.00
(11) For items and services that the Commissioner finds may be supplied, for which fees are not specified by statute or by this part, such charges as may be determined by the Commissioner with respect to each such item or service Actual Cost
[56 FR 65155, Dec. 13, 1991; 56 FR 66670, Dec. 24, 1991, as amended at 57 FR 38196, Aug. 21, 1992; 59 FR 257, Jan. 4, 1994; _ FR __, ___, 1995]
REPRESENTATION BY ATTORNEYS
OR OTHER AUTHORIZED PERSONS
Authority: Sections 2.11 to 2.19 also issued under 35 U.S.C. 31, 32.
37 CFR 2.11 Applicants may be represented by an attorney.
The owner of a trademark may file and prosecute his or her own application for registration of such trademark, or he or she may be represented by an attorney or other individual authorized to practice in trademark cases under § 10.14 of this subchapter. The Patent and Trademark Office cannot aid in the selection of an attorney or other representative.
[50 FR 5171, Feb. 6, 1985]
Sections 2.12 2.16 [Reserved].
37 CFR 2.17 Recognition for representation.
(a) When an attorney as defined in § 10.1(c) of this subchapter acting in a representative capacity appears in person or signs a paper in practice before the Patent and Trademark Office in a trademark case, his or her personal appearance or signature shall constitute a representation to the Patent and Trademark Office that, under the provisions of § 10.14 and the law he or she is authorized to represent the particular party in whose behalf he or she acts. Further proof of authority to act in a representative capacity may be required.
(b) Before any non-lawyer will be allowed to take action of any kind in any application or proceeding, a written authorization from the applicant, party to the proceeding, or other person entitled to prosecute such application or proceeding must be filed therein.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 50 FR 5171, Feb. 6, 1985]
37 CFR 2.18 Correspondence, with whom held.
Correspondence will be sent to the applicant or a party to a proceeding at its address unless papers are transmitted by an attorney at law, or a written power of attorney is filed, or written authorization of other person entitled to be recognized is filed, or the applicant or party designates in writing another address to which correspondence is to be sent, in which event correspondence will be sent to the attorney at law transmitting the papers, or to the attorney at law designated in the power of attorney, or to the other person designated in the written authorization, or to the address designated by the applicant or party for correspondence. Correspondence will continue to be sent to such address until the applicant or party, or the attorney at law or other authorized representative of the applicant or party, indicates in writing that correspondence is to be sent to another address. Correspondence will be sent to the domestic representative of a foreign applicant unless the application is being prosecuted by an attorney at law or other qualified person duly authorized, in which event correspondence will be sent to the attorney at law or other qualified person duly authorized. Double correspondence will not be undertaken by the Patent and Trademark Office, and if more than one attorney at law or other authorized representative appears or signs a paper, the Office reply will be sent to the address already established in the file until another correspondence address is specified by the applicant or party or by the attorney or other authorized representative of the applicant or party.
[41 FR 758, Jan. 5 1976, as amended at 54 FR 37588, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.19 Revocation of power of attorney or of other authorization to represent; withdrawal.
(a) Authority to represent an applicant or a party to a proceeding may be revoked at any stage in the proceedings of a case upon notification to the Commissioner; and when it is so revoked, the Office will communicate directly with the applicant or party to the proceeding or with such other qualified person as may be authorized. The Patent and Trademark Office will notify the person affected of the revocation of his or her authorization.
(b) An individual authorized to represent an applicant or party in a trademark case may withdraw upon application to and approval by the Commissioner.
[50 FR 5171, Feb. 6, 1985]
DECLARATIONS
37 CFR 2.20 Declarations in lieu of oaths.
The applicant or member of the firm or an officer of the corporation or association making application for registration or filing a document in the Patent and Trademark Office relating to a mark may, in lieu of the oath, affidavit, verification, or sworn statement required from him, in those instances prescribed in the individual rules, file a declaration that all statements made of his own knowledge are true and that all statements made on information and belief are believed to be true, if, and only if, the declarant is, on the same paper, warned that willful false statements and the like are punishable by fine or imprisonment, or both (18 U.S.C. 1001), and may jeopardize the validity of the application or document or any registration resulting therefrom.
[31 FR 5261, Apr. 1, 1966]
APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION
Authority: Sections 2.21 to 2.47 also issued under § 1, 60 Stat. 427; 15 U.S.C. 1051.
37 CFR 2.21 Requirements for receiving a filing date.
(a) Materials submitted as an application for registration of a mark will not be accorded a filing date as an application until all of the following elements are received:
(1) Name of the applicant;
(2) A name and address to which communications can be directed;
(3) A drawing of the mark sought to be registered substantially meeting all the requirements of § 2.52;
(4) An identification of goods or services;
(5) A basis for filing:
(i) A date of first use of the mark in commerce, and at least one specimen or facsimile of the mark as used, in an application under § 1(a) of the Act, or
(ii) A claim of a bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce and a certification or certified copy of the foreign registration on which the application is based in an application under § 44(e) of the Act, or
(iii) A claim of a bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce and a claim of the benefit of a prior foreign application in an application filed in accordance with § 44(d) of the Act, or
(iv) A claim of a bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce in an application under § 1(b) of the Act;
(6) A verification or declaration in accordance with § 2.33(b) signed by the applicant;
(7) The required filing fee for at least one class of goods or services. Compliance with one or more of the rules relating to the elements specified above may be required before the application is further processed.
(b) The filing date of the application is the date on which all of the elements set forth in paragraph (a) of this section are received in the Patent and Trademark Office.
(c) If the papers and fee submitted as an application do not satisfy all of the requirements specified in paragraph (a) of this section, the papers will not be considered to constitute an application and will not be given a filing date. The Patent and Trademark Office will return the papers and any fee submitted therewith to the person who submitted the papers. The Office will notify the person to whom the papers are returned of the defect or defects which prevented their being considered to be an application.
[47 FR 38695, Sept. 2, 1982, as amended at 51 FR 29921, Aug. 21 1986; 54 FR 37588, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.23 Serial number.
Applications will be given a serial number as received, and the applicant will be informed of the serial number and the filing date of the application.
[37 FR 931, Jan. 21, 1972]
37 CFR 2.24 Designation of representative by foreign applicant.
If an applicant is not domiciled in the United States, the applicant must designate by a written document filed in the Patent and Trademark Office the name and address of some person resident in the United States on whom may be served notices or process in proceedings affecting the mark. If this document does not accompany or form part of the application, it will be required and registration refused unless it is supplied. Official communications of the Patent and Trademark Office will be addressed to the domestic representative unless the application is being prosecuted by an attorney at law or other qualified person duly authorized, in which event Official communications will be sent to the attorney at law or other qualified person duly authorized. The mere designation of a domestic representative does not authorize the person designated to prosecute the application unless qualified under paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of § 10.14 of this subchapter and authorized under § 2.17(b).
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 54 FR 37588 Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.25 Papers not returnable.
After an application is filed the papers will not be returned for any purpose whatever; but the Office will furnish copies to the applicant upon request and payment of the fee.
37 CFR 2.26 Use of old drawing in new application.
In an application filed in place of an abandoned or rejected application, or in an application for reregistration (§ 2.158), a new complete application is required, but the old drawing, if suitable, may be used. The application must be accompanied by a request for the transfer of the drawing, and by a permanent photographic copy, or an order for such copy, of the drawing to be placed in the original file. A drawing so transferred, or to be transferred, cannot be amended.
37 CFR 2.27 Pending trademark application index; access to applications.
(a) An index of pending applications including the name and address of the applicant, a reproduction or description of the mark, the goods or services with which the mark is used, the class number, the dates of use, and the serial number and filing date of the application will be available for public inspection as soon as practicable after filing.
(b) Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, access to the file of a particular pending application will be permitted prior to publication under § 2.80 upon written request.
(c) Decisions of the Commissioner and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board in applications and proceedings relating thereto are published or available for inspection or publication.
(d) Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, after a mark has been registered, or published for opposition, the file of the application and all proceedings relating thereto are available for public inspection and copies of the papers may be furnished upon paying the fee therefor.
(e) Anything ordered to be filed under seal pursuant to a protective order issued or made by any court or by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board in any proceeding involving an application or registration shall be kept confidential and shall not be made available for public inspection or copying unless otherwise ordered by the court or the Board, or unless the party protected by the order voluntarily discloses the matter subject thereto. When possible, only confidential portions of filings with the Board shall be filed under seal.
[36 FR 25406, Dec. 31, 1971, as amended at 48 FR 23134, May 23, 1983; 48 FR 27225, June 14, 1983]
THE WRITTEN APPLICATION
37 CFR 2.31 Application must be in English.
The application must be in the English language and plainly written on but one side of the paper. It is preferable that the application be on lettersize (i.e., 8 1/2 inches, 21.6 cm., by 11 inches, 27.9 cm.) paper, typewritten double spaced, with at least a one and one-half inch (3.8 cm.) margin on the left-hand side and top of the page.
[39 FR 12247, Apr. 4, 1974, as amended at 54 FR 37588, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.32 Application to be signed and sworn to or include a declaration by applicant.
(a) The application must be made to the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks and must be signed and verified (sworn to) or include a declaration in accordance with § 2.20 by the applicant or by a member of the firm or an officer of the corporation or association applying.
(b) Re-executed papers or a statement which is verified or which includes a declaration in accordance with § 2.20 of continued use of the mark may be required when the application has not been filed in the Patent and Trademark Office within a reasonable time after the date of execution.
(c) The signature to the application must be the correct name of the applicant, since the name will appear in the certificate of registration precisely as it is signed to the application. The name of the applicant, wherever it appears in the papers of the application, will be made to agree with the name as signed.
37 CFR 2.33 Requirements for written application.
(a)
(1) The application shall include a request for registration and shall specify:
(i) The name of the applicant;
(ii) The citizenship of the applicant; if the applicant is a partnership, the state or nation under the laws of which the partnership is organized and the names and citizenship of the general partners or, if the applicant is a corporation or association, the state or nation under the laws of which the corporation or association is organized;
(iii) The domicile and post office address of the applicant;
(iv) In an application under § 1(a) of the Act, that the applicant has adopted and is using the mark shown in the accompanying drawing, or, in an application under § 1(b) or 44 of the Act, that the applicant has a bona fide intention to use the mark shown in the accompanying drawing in commerce;
(v) In an application under § 1(a) of the Act, the particular goods or services on or in connection with which the mark is used or, in an application under § 1(b) or 44 of the Act, the particular goods or services on or in connection with which the applicant has a bona fide intention to use the mark, which in an application under § 44 may not exceed the scope of the goods or services covered by the foreign application or registration;
(vi) The class of goods or services according to the official classification, if known to the applicant;
(vii) In an application under § 1(a) of the Act, the date of applicant's first use of the mark as a trademark or service mark on or in connection with goods or services specified in the application and the date of applicant's first use in commerce of the mark as a trademark or service mark on or in connection with goods or services specified in the application, specifying the nature of such commerce (see § 2.38);
(viii) In an application under § 44(e) of the Act for registration of a mark duly registered in the applicant's country of origin, as that term is defined in § 44(c), accompanying the application, a certificate of the trademark office of the applicant's country of origin showing that the mark has been registered in such country and also showing the mark, the goods or services for which the mark is registered, the date of filing of the application on the basis of which registration was granted and that said registration is in full force and effect and, if the certificate is not in the English language, a translation thereof;
(ix) In an application claiming the benefit of a foreign application in accordance with § 44(d) of the Act, compliance with the requirements of § 2.39;
(x) In an application under § 1(a) of the Act, the mode, manner or method of applying, affixing or otherwise using the mark on or in connection with the goods or services specified or, in an application under § 1(b) of the Act, the intended mode, manner or method of applying, affixing or otherwise using the mark on or in connection with the goods or services specified.
(2) If more than one item of goods or services is specified in the application, the dates of use required in paragraph (a)(1)(vii) of this section need be for only one of the items specified, provided the particular item to which the dates apply is designated.
(3) The word "commerce" as used throughout this part means commerce which may lawfully be regulated by Congress, as specified in § 45 of the Act.
(b)
(1) In an application under § 1(a) of the Act, the application must include averments to the effect that the applicant is believed to be the owner of the mark sought to be registered; that the mark is in use in commerce, specifying the nature of such commerce; that no other entity to the best of the declarant's knowledge and belief, has the right to use such mark in commerce, either in the identical form or in such near resemblance as to be likely, when applied to the goods or services of such other entity, to cause confusion, or to cause mistake, or to deceive; that the specimens or facsimiles show the mark as used on or in connection with the goods or services; and that the facts set forth in the application are true; or
(2) In an application under § 1(b) or 44 of the Act, the application must include averments to the effect that the applicant is believed to be the owner of the mark sought to be registered; that the applicant has a bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce on or in connection with the specified goods or services; that no other entity, to the best of the declarant's knowledge and belief, has the right to use such mark in commerce, either in the identical form or in such near resemblance as to be likely, when applied to the goods or services of such other entity, to cause confusion, or to cause mistake, or to deceive; and that the facts set forth in the application are true.
(c) For an application for the registration of a mark for goods or services falling within multiple classes, see § 2.86.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 54 FR 37589, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.35 Description of mark.
A description of the mark, which must be acceptable to the Examiner of Trademarks, may be included in the application, and must be included if required by the examiner. If the mark is displayed in color or a color combination, the colors should be described in the application.
37 CFR 2.36 Identification of prior registrations.
Prior registrations of the same or similar marks owned by the applicant should be identified in the application.
37 CFR 2.37 Authorization for representation; U.S. representative.
The authorization of a qualified person to represent applicant (§ 2.17(b)) and the designation of a domestic representative (§ 2.24) may be included as a paragraph or paragraphs in the application.
[41 FR 758, Jan. 5, 1976]
37 CFR 2.38 Use by predecessor or by related companies.
(a) If the first use, the date of which is required by paragraph (a)(1)(vii) of § 2.33, was by a predecessor in title, or by a related company (§§ 5 and 45 of the Act), and such use inures to the benefit of the applicant, the date of such first use may be asserted with a statement that such first use was by the predecessor in title or by the related company as the case may be.
(b) If the mark is not in fact being used by the applicant but is being used by one or more related companies whose use inures to the benefit of the applicant under § 5 of the Act, such facts must be indicated in the application.
(c) The Office may require such details concerning the nature of the relationship and such proofs as may be necessary and appropriate for the purpose of showing that the use by related companies inures to the benefit of the applicant and does not affect the validity of the mark.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 54 FR 37589, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.39 Priority claim based on foreign application.
(a) An application claiming the benefit of a foreign application in accordance with § 44(d) of the Act shall specify the filing date and country of the first regularly filed foreign application or, if the application is based upon a subsequent regularly filed application in the same foreign country, the application shall so state and shall show that any prior filed application has been withdrawn, abandoned or otherwise disposed of, without having been laid open to public inspection and without having any rights outstanding, and has not served as a basis for claiming a right of priority.
(b) Before the application can be approved for publication, a basis for registration under § 1(a), 1(b) or 44(e) of the Act must be established.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 54 FR 37589, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.41 Proof of distinctiveness under § 2(f).
(a) When registration is sought of a mark which would be unregistrable by reason of § 2(e) of the Act but which is said by applicant to have become distinctive in commerce of the goods or services set forth in the application, applicant may, in support of registrability, submit with the application, or in response to a request for evidence or to a refusal to register, affidavits, or declarations in accordance with § 2.20, depositions, or other appropriate evidence showing duration, extent and nature of use in commerce and advertising expenditures in connection therewith (identifying types of media and attaching typical advertisements), and affidavits, or declarations in accordance with § 2.20, letters or statements from the trade or public, or both, or other appropriate evidence tending to show that the mark distinguishes such goods.
(b) In appropriate cases, ownership of one or more prior registrations on the Principal Register or under the Act of 1905 of the same mark may be accepted as prima facie evidence of distinctiveness. Also, if the mark is said to have become distinctive of applicant's goods by reason of substantially exclusive and continuous use in commerce thereof by applicant for the five years before the date on which the claim of distinctiveness is made, a showing by way of statements which are verified or which include declarations in accordance with § 2.20, in the application may, in appropriate cases, be accepted as prima facie evidence of distinctiveness. In each of these situations, however, further evidence may be required.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 54 FR 37590, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.42 Concurrent use.
An application for registration as a lawful concurrent user shall specify and contain all the elements required by the preceding sections. The applicant in addition shall state in the application the area, the goods, and the mode of use for which applicant seeks registration; and also shall state, to the extent of the applicant's knowledge, the concurrent lawful use of the mark by others, setting forth their names and addresses; registrations issued to or applications filed by such others, if any; the areas of such use; the goods on or in connection with which such use is made; the mode of such use; and the periods of such use.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 54 FR 34897, Aug. 22, 1989]
37 CFR 2.43 Service mark.
In an application to register a service mark, the application shall specify and contain all the elements required by the preceding sections for trademarks, but shall be modified to relate to services instead of to goods wherever necessary.
37 CFR 2.44 Collective mark.
(a) In an application to register a collective mark under § 1(a) of the Act, the application shall specify and contain all applicable elements required by the preceding sections for trademarks, but shall, in addition, specify the class of persons entitled to use the mark, indicating their relationship to the applicant, and the nature of the applicant's control over the use of the mark.
(b) In an application to register a collective mark under § 1(b) or 44 of the Act, the application shall specify and contain all applicable elements required by the preceding sections for trademarks, but shall, in addition, specify the class of persons intended to be entitled to use the mark, indicating what their relationship to the applicant will be, and the nature of the control applicant intends to exercise over the use of the mark.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 54 FR 37590, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.45 Certification mark.
(a) In an application to register a certification mark under § 1(a) of the Act, the application shall specify and contain all applicable elements required by the preceding sections for trademarks. It shall, in addition, specify the manner in which and the conditions under which the certification mark is used; it shall allege that the applicant exercises legitimate control over the use of the mark and that the applicant is not engaged in the production or marketing of the goods or services to which the mark is applied.
(b) In an application to register a certification mark under § 1(b) or 44 of the Act, the application shall specify and contain all applicable elements required by the preceding sections for trademarks. It shall, in addition, specify the manner in which and the conditions under which the certification mark is intended to be used; it shall allege that the applicant intends to exercise legitimate control over the use of the mark and that the applicant will not engage in the production or marketing of the goods or services to which the mark is applied.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 54 FR 37590, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.46 Principal Register.
All applications will be treated as seeking registration on the Principal Register unless otherwise stated in the application. Service marks, collective marks, and certification marks, registrable in accordance with the applicable provisions of § 2 of the Act, are registered on the Principal Register.
37 CFR 2.47 Supplemental Register.
(a) In an application to register on the Supplemental Register under § 23 of the Act, the application shall so indicate and shall specify that the mark has been in lawful use in commerce, specifying the nature of such commerce, by the applicant.
(b) In an application to register on the Supplemental Register under § 44 of the Act, the application shall so indicate. The statement of lawful use in commerce may be omitted.
(c) A mark in an application to register on the Principal Register under § 1(b) of the Act is eligible for registration on the Supplemental Register only after an acceptable amendment to allege use under § 2.76 or statement of use under § 2.88 has been timely filed.
(d) An application for registration on the Supplemental Register must conform to the requirements for registration on the Principal Register under § 1(a) of the Act, so far as applicable.
[38 FR 18876, July 16, 1973, as amended at 54 FR 37590, Sept. 11, 1989]
DRAWING
Authority: Sections 2.51 to 2.55 also issued under § 1, 60 Stat. 427; 15 U.S.C. 1051.
37 CFR 2.51 Drawing required.
(a)
(1) In an application under § 1(a) of the Act, the drawing of the trademark shall be a substantially exact representation of the mark as used on or in connection with the goods; or
(2) In an application under § 1(b) of the Act, the drawing of the trademark shall be a substantially exact representation of the mark as intended to be used on or in connection with the goods specified in the application, and once an amendment to allege use under § 2.76 or a statement of use under § 2.88 has been filed, the drawing of the trademark shall be a substantially exact representation of the mark as used on or in connection with the goods; or
(3) In an application under § 44 of the Act, the drawing of the trademark shall be a substantially exact representation of the mark as it appears in the drawing in the registration certificate of a mark duly registered in the country of origin of the applicant.
(b)
(1) In an application under § 1(a) of the Act, the drawing of a service mark shall be a substantially exact representation of the mark as used in the sale or advertising of the services; or
(2) In an application under § 1(b) of the Act, the drawing of a service mark shall be a substantially exact representation of the mark as intended to be used in the sale or advertising of the services specified in the application and, once an amendment to allege use under § 2.76 or a statement of use under § 2.88 has been filed, the drawing of the service mark shall be a substantially exact representation of the mark as used in the sale or advertising of the services; or
(3) In an application under § 44 of the Act, the drawing of a service mark shall be a substantially exact representation of the mark as it appears in the drawing in the registration certificate of a mark duly registered in the country of origin of applicant.
(c) The drawing of a mark may be dispensed with in the case of a mark not capable of representation by a drawing, but in any such case the application must contain an adequate description of the mark.
(d) Broken lines should be used in the drawing of a mark to show placement of the mark on the goods, or on the packaging, or to show matter not claimed as part of the mark, or both, as appropriate. In an application to register a mark with three-dimensional features, the drawing shall depict the mark in perspective in a single rendition.
(e) If the application is for the registration of only a word, letter or numeral, or any combination thereof, not depicted in special form, the drawing may be the mark typed in capital letters on paper, otherwise complying with the requirements of § 2.52.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965 as amended at 54 FR 37590, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.52 Requirements for drawings.
(a) Character of drawing. All drawings, except as otherwise provided, must be made with the pen or by a process which will provide high definition upon reproduction. A photolithographic reproduction or printer's proof copy may be used if otherwise suitable. Every line and letter, including color lining and lines used for shading, must be black. All lines must be clean, sharp, and solid, and must not be fine or crowded. Gray tones or tints may not be used for surface shading or any other purpose. The requirements of this paragraph are not necessary in the case of drawings permitted and filed in accordance with paragraph (e) of § 2.51.
(b) Paper and ink. The drawing must be made upon paper which is flexible, strong, smooth, nonshiny, white and durable. A good grade of bond paper is suitable; however, water marks should not be prominent. India ink or its equivalent in quality must be used for pen drawings to secure perfectly black solid lines. The use of white pigment to cover lines is not acceptable.
(c) Size of paper and margins. The size of the sheet on which a drawing is made must be 8 to 8 1/2 inches (20.3 to 21.6 cm.) wide and 11 inches (27.9 cm.) long. One of the shorter sides of the sheet should be regarded as its top. It is preferable that the drawing be 2.5 inches (6.1 cm.) high and/or wide, but in no case may it be larger than 4 inches (10.3 cm.) high and 4 inches (10.3 cm.) wide. If the amount of detail in the mark precludes a reduction to this size, such detail may be verbally described in the body of the application. There must be a margin of at least 1 inch (2.5 cm.) on the sides and bottom of the paper and at least 1 inch (2.5 cm.) between it and the heading.
(d) Heading. Across the top of the drawing, beginning one inch (2.5 cm.) from the top edge and not exceeding one third of the sheet, there must be placed a heading, listing in separate lines, applicant's complete name; applicant's post office address; the dates of first use of the mark and first use of the mark in commerce in an application under § 1(a) of the Act; the priority filing date of the relevant foreign application in an application claiming the benefit of a prior foreign application in accordance with § 44(d) of the Act; and the goods or services recited in the application or a typical item of the goods or services if a number of items are recited in the application. This heading should be typewritten. If the drawing is in special form, the heading should include a description of the essential elements of the mark.
(e) Linings for color. Where color is a feature of a mark, the color or colors employed may be designated by means of conventional linings as shown in the following color chart:
[51 FR 29921, Aug. 21, 1986, as amended at 54 FR 37591, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.53 Transmission of drawings.
Drawings transmitted to the Patent and Trademark Office, other than those typed in accordance with § 2.51(e), should be sent flat, protected by a sheet of heavy binder's board, or should be rolled for transmission in a suitable mailing tube to prevent mutilation or folding.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 54 FR 37591, Sept. 11, 1989]
SPECIMENS
Authority: Sections 2.56 to 2.58 also issued under § 1, 60 Stat. 427; 15 U.S.C. 1051.
37 CFR 2.56 Specimens.
An application under § 1(a) of the Act, an amendment to allege use under § 2.76, and a statement of use under § 2.88 must each include three specimens of the trademark as used on or in connection with the goods in commerce. The specimens shall be duplicates of the labels, tags, or containers bearing the trademark, or the displays associated with the goods and bearing the trademark (or if the nature of the goods makes use of such specimens impracticable then on documents associated with the goods or their sale), when made of suitable flat material and of a size not to exceed 8 1/2 inches (21.6 cm.) wide and 11 inches (27.9 cm.) long.
[39 FR 12248, Apr. 4, 1974, as amended at 54 FR 37591, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.57 Facsimiles.
(a) When, due to the mode of applying or affixing the trademark to the goods, or to the manner of using the mark on the goods, or to the nature of the mark, specimens as above stated cannot be furnished, three copies of a suitable photograph or other acceptable reproduction, not to exceed 8 1/2 inches (21.6 cm.) wide and 11 inches (27.9 cm.) long, and clearly and legibly showing the mark and all matter used in connection therewith, shall be furnished.
(b) A purported facsimile which is merely a reproduction of the drawing submitted to comply with 2.51 will not be considered to be a facsimile depicting the mark as used on or in connection with the goods or in connection with the services.
[47 FR 38695, Sept. 2, 1982, as amended at 54 FR 37591, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.58 Specimens or facsimiles in the case of a service mark.
(a) In the case of service marks, specimens or facsimiles as specified in §§ 2.56 and 2.57, of the mark as used in the sale or advertising of the services shall be furnished unless impossible because of the nature of the mark or the manner in which it is used, in which event some other representation acceptable to the Commissioner must be submitted.
(b) In the case of service marks not used in printed or written form, three audio cassette tape recordings will be accepted.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 51 FR 2992, Aug. 21, 1986]
37 CFR 2.59 Filing substitute specimens.
(a) In an application under § 1(a) of the Act, the applicant may submit substitute specimens of the mark as used on or in connection with the goods, or in the sale or advertising of the services, provided that any substitute specimens submitted are supported by applicant's affidavit or declaration in accordance with § 2.20 verifying that the substitute specimens were in use in commerce at least as early as the filing date of the application. The verification requirement shall not apply if the specimens are duplicates or facsimiles, such as photographs, of specimens already of record in the application.
(b) In an application under § 1(b) of the Act, after filing either an amendment to allege use under § 2.76 or a statement of use under § 2.88, the applicant may submit substitute specimens of the mark as used on or in connection with the goods, or in the sale or advertising of the services, provided that the use in commerce of any substitute specimens submitted is supported by applicant's affidavit or declaration in accordance with § 2.20. In the case of a statement of use under § 2.88, the applicant must verify that the substitute specimens were in use in commerce prior to the filing of the statement of use or prior to the expiration of the time allowed to applicant for filing a statement of use.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 54 FR 37591, Sept. 11, 1989]
EXAMINATION OF APPLICATION
AND ACTION BY APPLICANTS
Authority: Sections 2.61 to 2.69 also issued under § 12, 60 Stat. 432; 15 U.S.C. 1062.
37 CFR 2.61 Action by examiner.
(a) applications for registration, including amendments to allege use under § 1(c) of the Act, and statements of use under § 1(d) of the Act, will be examined and, if the applicant is found not entitled to registration for any reason, applicant will be notified and advised of the reasons therefor and of any formal requirements or objections.
(b) The examiner may require the applicant to furnish such information and exhibits as may be reasonably necessary to the proper examination of the application.
(c) Whenever it shall be found that two or more parties whose interests are in conflict are represented by the same attorney, each party and also the attorney shall be notified of this fact.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 37 FR 2880, Feb. 9, 1972; 54 FR 37592, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.62 Period for response.
The applicant has six months from the date of mailing of any action by the examiner to respond thereto. Such response may be made with or without amendment and must include such proper action by the applicant as the nature of the action and the condition of the case may require.
37 CFR 2.63 Reexamination.
(a) After response by the applicant, the application will be reexamined or reconsidered. If registration is again refused or any formal requirement[s] is repeated, but the examiner's action is not stated to be final, the applicant may respond again.
(b) After reexamination the applicant may respond by filing a timely petition to the Commissioner for relief from a formal requirement if:
(1) The requirement is repeated, but the examiner's action is not made final, and the subject matter of the requirement is appropriate for petition to the Commissioner (see § 2.146(b)); or
(2) the examiner's action is made final and such action is limited to subject matter appropriate for petition to the Commissioner.
If the petition is denied, the applicant shall have until six months from the date of the Office action which repeated the requirement or made it final or thirty days from the date of the decision on the petition, whichever date is later, to comply with the requirement. A formal requirement which is the subject of a petition decided by the Commissioner may not subsequently be the subject of an appeal to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.
[48 FR 23214, May 23, 1983]
37 CFR 2.64 Final action.
(a) On the first or any subsequent reexamination or reconsideration the refusal of the registration or the insistence upon a requirement may be stated to be final, whereupon applicant's response is limited to an appeal, or to a compliance with any requirement, or to a petition to the Commissioner if permitted by § 2.63(b).
(b) During the period between a final action and expiration of the time for filing an appeal, the applicant may request the examiner to reconsider the final action. The filing of a request for reconsideration will not extend the time for filing an appeal or petitioning the Commissioner, but normally the examiner will reply to a request for reconsideration before the end of the six-month period if the request is filed within three months after the date of the final action. Amendments accompanying requests for reconsideration after final action will be entered if they comply with the rules of practice in trademark cases and the Act of 1946.
(c)
(1) If an applicant in an application under § 1(b) of the Act files an amendment to allege use under § 2.76 during the six-month response period after issuance of a final action, the examiner shall examine the amendment. The filing of such an amendment will not extend the time for filing an appeal or petitioning the Commissioner.
(2) If the amendment to allege use under § 2.76 is acceptable in all respects, the applicant will be notified of its acceptance.
(3) If, as a result of the examination of the amendment to allege use under § 2.76, the applicant is found not entitled to registration for any reason not previously stated, applicant will be notified and advised of the reasons and of any formal requirements or refusals. The Trademark Examining Attorney shall withdraw the final action previously issued and shall incorporate all unresolved refusals or requirements previously stated in the new non-final action.
[48 FR 23134, May 23, 1983, as amended at 54 FR 37592, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.65 Abandonment.
(a) If an applicant fails to respond, or to respond completely, within six months after the date an action is mailed, the application shall be deemed to have been abandoned. A timely petition to the Commissioner pursuant to §§ 2.63(b) and 2.146 is a response which avoids abandonment of an application.
(b) When action by the applicant filed within the six-month response period is a bona fide attempt to advance the examination of the application and is substantially a complete response to the examiner's action, but consideration of some matter or compliance with some requirement has been inadvertently omitted, opportunity to explain and supply the omission may be given before the question of abandonment is considered.
(c) If an applicant in an application under § 1(b) of the Act fails to timely file a statement of use under § 2.88, the application shall be deemed to be abandoned.
[48 FR 23134, May 23, 1983, as amended at 54 FR 37592, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.66 Revival of abandoned applications.
(a) An application abandoned for failure to timely respond, or for failure to timely file a statement of use under § 2.88 in an application under § 1(b) of the Act, may be revived as a pending application if it is shown to the satisfaction of the Commissioner that the delay was unavoidable.
(b) A petition to revive an application abandoned for failure to timely respond must be accompanied by:
(1) The required fee,
(2) A showing which is verified or which includes a declaration in accordance with § 2.20 of the causes of the delay, and
(3) The proposed response, unless a response has been previously filed.
(c) A petition to revive an application abandoned for failure to timely file a statement of use under § 2.88 in an application under § 1(b) of the Act must be accompanied by:
(1) The required petition fee,
(2) A showing which is verified or which includes a declaration in accordance with § 2.20 of the causes of the delay,
(3) The required fees for the number of requests (in accordance with § 2.89 for extensions of time to file a statement of use) which should have been filed if the application had not been abandoned, and
(4) Either a statement of use in accordance with § 2.88 (unless the same has been previously filed) or a request in accordance with § 2.89 for an extension of time to file a statement of use.
(d) The petition must be filed promptly. No petition to revive will be granted in an application under § 1(b) of the Act if granting the petition would permit the filing of a statement of use more than 36 months after the issuance of a notice of allowance under § 13(b)(2) of the Act.
[31 FR 5261, Apr. 1, 1966, as amended at 54 FR 37592, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.67 Suspension of action by the Patent and Trademark Office.
Action by the Patent and Trademark Office may be suspended for a reasonable time for good and sufficient cause. The fact that a proceeding is pending before the Patent and Trademark Office or a court which is relevant to the issue of registrability of the applicant's mark, or the fact that the basis for registration is, under the provisions of § 44(e) of the Act, registration of the mark in a foreign country and the foreign application is still pending, will be considered prima facie good and sufficient cause. An applicant's request for a suspension of action under this section filed within the 6-month response period (see § 2.62) may be considered responsive to the previous Office action. The first suspension is within the discretion of the Examiner of Trademarks and any subsequent suspension must be approved by the Commissioner.
[37 FR 3998, Feb. 24, 1972]
37 CFR 2.68 Express abandonment (withdrawal) of application.
An application may be expressly abandoned by filing in the Patent and Trademark Office a written statement of abandonment or withdrawal of the application signed by the applicant, or the attorney or other person representing the applicant. Except as provided in § 2.135, the fact that an application has been expressly abandoned shall not, in any proceeding in the Patent and Trademark Office, affect any rights that the applicant may have in the mark which is the subject of the abandoned application.
[38 FR 7958, Mar. 27, 1973, as amended at 54 FR 34897, Aug. 22, 1989]
37 CFR 2.69 Compliance with other laws.
When the sale or transportation of any product for which registration of a trademark is sought is regulated under an Act of Congress, the Patent and Trademark Office may make appropriate inquiry as to compliance with such Act for the sole purpose of determining lawfulness of the commerce recited in the application.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 54 FR 37592, Sept. 11, 1989]
AMENDMENT OF APPLICATION
Authority: Sections 2.71 to 2.75 also issued under § 12, 60 Stat 432; 15 U.S.C. 1062.
37 CFR 2.71 Amendments to correct informalities.
(a) The application may be amended to correct informalities, or to avoid objections made by the Patent and Trademark Office, or for other reasons arising in the course of examination.
(b) The identification of goods or services may be amended to clarify or limit the identification, but additions will not be permitted.
(c) If the verification or declaration filed with the application is defective, the defect may be corrected only by the submission of a substitute or supplemental verification or declaration in accordance with § 2.20. A verification or declaration required under §§ 2.21(a)(6), 2.76(e)(3) or 2.88(e)(3), to be properly signed, must be signed by the applicant, a member of the applicant firm, or an officer of the applicant corporation or association. A verification or declaration which is signed by a person having color of authority to sign, is acceptable for the purpose of determining the timely filing of the paper. Persons having color of authority to sign are those who have first-hand knowledge of the truth of the statements in the verification or declaration and who also have actual or implied authority to act on behalf of the applicant. However, a properly signed substitute verification or declaration must be submitted before the application will be approved for publication or registration, as the case may be.
(d)
(1) No amendment to the dates of use will be permitted unless the amendment is supported by applicant's affidavit or declaration in accordance with § 2.20 and by such showing as may be required.
(2) In an application under § 1(a) of the Act, no amendment to specify a date of use which is subsequent to the filing date of the application will be permitted.
(3) In an application under § 1(b) of the Act, after the filing of a statement of use under § 2.88, no amendment will be permitted to the statement of use to recite dates of use which are subsequent to the expiration of the time allowed to applicant for filing a statement of use.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 54 FR 37592, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.72 Amendments to description or drawing of the mark.
(a) Amendments may not be made to the description or drawing of the mark if the character of the mark is materially altered. The determination of whether a proposed amendment materially alters the character of the mark will be made by comparing the proposed amendment with the description or drawing of the mark as originally filed.
(b) In applications under § 1(a) of the Act, amendments to the description or drawing of the mark may be permitted only if warranted by the specimens (or facsimiles) as originally filed, or supported by additional specimens (or facsimiles) and a supplemental affidavit or declaration in accordance with § 2.20 alleging that the mark shown in the amended drawing was in use prior to the filing date of the application.
(c) In applications under § 1(b) of the Act, amendments to the description or drawing of the mark, which are filed after submission of an amendment to allege use under § 2.76 or a statement of use under § 2.88, may be permitted only if warranted by the specimens (or facsimiles) filed, or supported by additional specimens (or facsimiles) and a supplemental affidavit or declaration in accordance with § 2.20 alleging that the mark shown in the amended drawing is in use in commerce. In the case of a statement of use under § 2.88, applicant must verify that the mark shown in the amended drawing was in use in commerce prior to the filing of the statement of use or prior to the expiration of the time allowed to applicant for filing a statement of use.
(d) In applications under § 44 of the Act, amendments to the description or drawing of the mark may be permitted only if warranted by the description or drawing the mark in the foreign registration certificate.
[48 FR 23134, May 23, 1983, as amended at 54 FR 37593, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.73 Amendment to recite concurrent use.
(a) An application under § 1(a) of the Act may be amended so as to be treated as an application for a concurrent registration, provided the application as amended satisfies the requirements of § 2.42. The examiner will determine whether the application, as amended, is acceptable.
(b) An application under § 1(b) of the Act may not be amended so as to be treated as an application for a concurrent registration until an acceptable amendment to allege use under § 2.76 or statement of use under § 2.88 has been filed in the application, after which time such an amendment may be made, provided the application as amended satisfies the requirements of § 2.42. The examiner will determine whether the application, as amended, is acceptable.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 54 FR 37593, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.74 Form of amendment.
(a) In every amendment the exact word or words to be stricken out or inserted in the application must be specified and the precise point indicated where the deletion or insertion is to be made. Erasures, additions, insertions, or mutilations of the papers and records must not be made by the applicant or his attorney or agent.
(b) When an amendatory clause is amended, it must be wholly rewritten so that no interlineation or erasure will appear in the clause, as finally amended, when the application is passed to registration. If the number or nature of the amendments shall render it otherwise difficult to consider the case or to arrange the papers for printing or copying, or when otherwise desired to clarify the record, the examiner may require the entire statement to be rewritten.
37 CFR 2.75 Amendment to change application to different register.
(a) An application for registration on the Principal Register under § 1(a) or 44 of the Act may be changed to an application for registration on the Supplemental Register and vice versa by amending the application to comply with the rules relating to the appropriate register, as the case may be.
(b) An application under § 1(b) of the Act may be amended to change the application to a different register only after submission of an acceptable amendment to allege use under § 2.76 or statement of use under § 2.88. When such an application is changed from the Principal Register to the Supplemental Register, the effective filing date of the application is the date of the filing of the allegation of use under § 1(c) or 1(d) of the Act.
[41 FR 758, Jan. 5, 1976, as amended at 54 FR 37593, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.76 Amendment to allege use.
(a) An application under § 1(b) of the Act may be amended to allege use of the mark in commerce under § 1(c) of the Act at any time between the filing of the application and the date the examiner approves the mark for publication or the date of expiration of the six-month response period after issuance of a final action. Thereafter, an allegation of use may be submitted only as a statement of use under § 2.88 after the issuance of a notice of allowance under § 13(b)(2) of the Act. If an amendment to allege use is filed outside the time period specified in this paragraph, it will be returned to the applicant.
(b) A complete amendment to allege use must include:
(1) A verified statement that the applicant is believed to be the owner of the mark sought to be registered and that the mark is in use in commerce, specifying the date of the applicant's first use of the mark and first use of the mark in commerce, the type of commerce, those goods or services specified in the application on or in connection with which the mark is in use in commerce and the mode or manner in which the mark is used on or in connection with such goods or services;
(2) Three specimens or facsimiles, conforming to the requirements of §§ 2.56, 2.57 and 2.58, of the mark as used in commerce; and
(3) The fee prescribed in § 2.6.
(c) An amendment to allege use may be filed only when the applicant has made use of the mark in commerce on or in connection with all of the goods or services, as specified in the application, for which applicant will seek registration in that application unless the amendment to allege use is accompanied by a request in accordance with § 2.87 to divide out from the application the goods or services to which the amendment pertains. If more than one item of goods or services is specified in the amendment to allege use, the dates of use required in paragraph (b)(1) of this section need be for only one of the items specified in each class, provided the particular item to which the dates apply is designated.
(d) The title "Amendment to allege use under § 2.76" should appear at the top of the first page of the paper.
(e) The Office will review a timely filed amendment to allege use to determine whether it meets the following minimum requirements:
(1) The fee prescribed in § 2.6;
(2) At least one specimen or facsimile of the mark as used in commerce; and
(3) A verification or declaration signed by the applicant stating that the mark is in use in commerce.
(f) A timely filed amendment to allege use which meets the minimum requirements specified in paragraph (e) of this section will be examined in accordance with §§ 2.61 through 2.69. If, as a result of the examination of the amendment to allege use, applicant is found not entitled to registration for any reason not previously stated, applicant will be so notified and advised of the reasons and of any formal requirements or refusals. The notification shall restate or incorporate by reference all unresolved refusals or requirements previously stated. The amendment to allege use may be amended in accordance with §§ 2.59 and 2.71 through 2.75. If the amendment to allege use is acceptable in all respects, the applicant will be notified of its acceptance. The filing of such an amendment shall not constitute a response to any outstanding action by the Trademark Examining Attorney.
(g) If the amendment to allege use is filed within the permitted time period but does not meet the minimum requirements specified in paragraph (e) of this section, applicant will be notified of the deficiency. The deficiency may be corrected provided the mark has not been approved for publication or the six-month response period after issuance of a final action has not expired. If an acceptable amendment to correct the deficiency is not filed prior to approval of the mark for publication or prior to the expiration of the six-month response period after issuance of a final action, the amendment will not be examined.
(h) An amendment to allege use may be withdrawn for any reason prior to approval of a mark for publication or expiration of the six-month response period after issuance of a final action.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 54 FR 37593, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.77 Amendments between notice of allowance and statement of use.
An application under § 1(b) of the Act may not be amended during the period between the issuance of the notice of allowance under § 13(b)(2) of the Act and the filing of a statement of use under § 2.88, except to delete specified goods or services. Other amendments filed during this period will be placed in the application file and considered when the statement of use is examined.
[54 FR 37594, Sept. 11, 1989]
PUBLICATION AND POST PUBLICATION
37 CFR 2.80 Publication for opposition.
If, on examination or reexamination of an application for registration on the Principal Register, it appears that the applicant is entitled to have his mark registered, the mark will be published in the Official Gazette for opposition. The mark will also be published in the case of an application to be placed in interference or concurrent use proceedings, if otherwise registrable.
[41 FR 758, Jan. 5, 1976]
37 CFR 2.81 Post publication.
(a) Except in an application under § 1(b) of the Act for which no amendment to allege use under § 2.76 has been submitted and accepted, if no opposition is filed within the time permitted or all oppositions filed are dismissed, and if no interference is declared and no concurrent use proceeding is instituted, the application will be prepared for issuance of the certificate of registration as provided in § 2.151.
(b) In an application under § 1(b) of the Act for which no amendment to allege use under § 2.76 has been submitted and accepted, if no opposition is filed within the time permitted or all oppositions filed are dismissed, and if no interference is declared, a notice of allowance will issue. The notice of allowance will state the serial number of the application, the name of the applicant, the correspondence address, the mark, the identification of goods or services, and the issue date of the notice of allowance. The mailing date that appears on the notice of allowance will be the issue date of the notice of allowance. Thereafter, the applicant shall submit a statement of use as provided in § 2.88.
[48 FR 23135, May 23, 1983, as amended at 54 FR 37594, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.82 Marks on Supplemental Register published only upon registration.
In the case of an application for registration on the Supplemental Register the mark will not be published for opposition but if it appears, after examination or reexamination, that the applicant is entitled to have the mark registered, a certificate of registration will issue as provided in § 2.151. The mark will be published in the Official Gazette when registered.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965. Redesignated at 37 FR 2880, Feb. 9, 1972, as amended at 54 FR 37594, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.83 Conflicting marks.
(a) Whenever an application is made for registration of a mark which so resembles another mark or marks pending registration as to be likely to cause confusion or mistake or to deceive, the mark with the earliest effective filing date will be published in the Official Gazette for opposition if eligible for the Principal Register, or issued a certificate of registration if eligible for the Supplemental Register.
(b) In situations in which conflicting applications have the same effective filing date, the application with the earliest date of execution will be published in the Official Gazette for opposition or issued on the Supplemental Register.
(c) Action on the conflicting application which is not published in the Official Gazette for opposition or not issued on the Supplemental Register will be suspended by the Examiner of Trademarks until the published or issued application is registered or abandoned.
[37 FR 2880, Feb. 9, 1972, as amended at 54 FR 37594, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.84 Jurisdiction over published applications.
(a) The examiner may exercise jurisdiction over an application up to the date the mark is published in the Official Gazette. After publication of an application under § 1(a) or 44 of the Act the examiner may, with the permission of the Commissioner, exercise jurisdiction over the application. After publication of an application under § 1(b) of the Act, the examiner may exercise jurisdiction over the application after the issuance of the notice of allowance under § 13(b)(2) of the Act. After publication, and prior to issuance of a notice of allowance in an application under § 1(b), the examiner may, with the permission of the Commissioner, exercise jurisdiction over the application.
(b) After publication, but before the printing of the certificate of registration in an application under § 1(a) or 44 of the Act, or before the printing of the notice of allowance in an application under § 1(b) of the Act, an application which is not the subject of an inter partes proceeding before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board may be amended if the amendment does not necessitate republication of the mark or issuance of an Office action. Otherwise, an amendment to such an application may be submitted only upon petition to the Commissioner to restore jurisdiction of the application to the examiner for consideration of the amendment and further examination. The amendment of an application which is the subject of an inter partes proceeding before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board is governed by § 2.133.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 54 FR 37595, Sept. 11, 1989]
CLASSIFICATION
Authority: Sections 2.85 to 2.88 also issued under § 30, 60 Stat. 436; 15 U.S.C. 1112.
37 CFR 2.85 Classification schedules.
(a) Section 6.1 of Part 6 of this chapter specifies the system of classification for goods and services which applies for all statutory purposes to trademark applications filed in the Patent and Trademark Office on or after September 1, 1973, and to registrations issued on the basis of such applications. It shall not apply to applications filed on or before August 31, 1973, nor to registrations issued on the basis of such applications.
(b) With respect to applications filed on or before August 31, 1973, and registrations issued thereon, including older registrations issued prior to that date, the classification system under which the application was filed will govern for all statutory purposes, including, inter alia, the filing of petitions to revive, appeals, oppositions, petitions for cancellation, affidavits under § 8 and renewals, even though such petitions to revive, appeals, etc., are filed on or after September 1, 1973.
(c) Section 6.2 of Part 6 of this chapter specifies the system of classification for goods and services which applies for all statutory purposes to all trademark applications filed in the Patent and Trademark Office on or before August 31, 1973, and to registrations issued on the basis of such applications, except when the registration may have been issued under a classification system prior to that set forth in § 6.2. Moreover, this classification will also be utilized for facilitating trademark searches until all pending and registered marks in the search file are organized on the basis of the international system of classification.
(d) Renewals filed on registrations issued under a prior classification system will be processed on the basis of that system.
(e) Where the amount of the fee received on filing an appeal in connection with an application or on an application for renewal or in connection with a petition for cancellation is sufficient for at least one class of goods or services but is less than the required amount because multiple classes in an application or registration are involved, the appeal or renewal application or petition for cancellation will not be refused on the ground that the amount of the fee was insufficient if the required additional amount of the fee is received in the Patent and Trademark Office within the time limit set forth in the notification of this defect by the Office, or if action is sought only for the number of classes equal to the number of fees submitted.
(f) Sections 6.3 and 6.4 specify the system of classification which applies to certification marks and collective membership marks.
(g) Classification schedules shall not limit or extend the applicant's rights.
[38 FR 14681, June 4, 1973, as amended at 39 FR 16885, May 1 1974; 47 FR 41282, Sept 17, 1982]
37 CFR 2.86 Application may include multiple goods or services comprised in single class or multiple classes.
(a) An application may recite more than one item of goods, or more than one service, comprised in a single class, provided the goods or services are specifically identified and the applicant either has used the mark on or in connection with all of the specified goods or services, or has a bona fide intention to use the mark on or in connection with all of the specified goods or services.
(b) An application also may be filed to register the same mark for goods and/or services comprised in multiple classes, provided the goods or services are specifically identified; a fee equaling the sum of the fees for filing an application in each class is submitted; and the application includes either dates of use and three specimens for each class, or a statement of a bona fide intention to use the mark on or in connection with all of the goods or services specified in each class. An amendment to allege use under § 2.76 or a statement of use under § 2.88, filed in a multiple class application under § 1(b) of the Act, must include, for each class, the required fee, dates of use and three specimens. A single certificate of registration for the mark shall be issued, unless the application is divided pursuant to § 2.87.
(c) The applicant may not allege use as to certain goods or services and a bona fide intention to use as to other goods or services in the same application, regardless of the number of classes contained therein.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 54 FR 37954, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.87 Dividing an application.
(a) An application may be physically divided into two or more separate applications upon the payment of a fee for each new application created and submission by the applicant of a request in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section.
(b) In the case of a request to divide out one or more entire classes from an application, only the fee under paragraph (a) of this section will be required. However, in the case of a request to divide out some, but not all, of the goods or services in a class, an application filing fee for each new separate application to be created by the division must be submitted, together with the fee under paragraph (a) of this section. Any outstanding time period for action by the applicant in the original application at the time of the division will be applicable to each new separate application created by the division.
(c) A request to divide an application may be filed at any time between the filing of the application and the date the Trademark Examining Attorney approves the mark for publication or the date of expiration of the six-month response period after issuance of a final action; or during an opposition, upon motion granted by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Additionally, a request to divide an application under § 1(b) of the Act may be filed with a statement of use under § 2.88 or at any time between the filing of a statement of use and the date the Trademark Examining Attorney approves the mark for registration or the date of expiration of the six-month response period after issuance of a final action.
(d) A request to divide an application should be made in a separate paper from any other amendment or response in the application. The title "Request to divide application." should appear at the top of the first page of the paper.
[37 FR 3898, Feb. 24, 1972, as amended at 54 FR 37595, Sept. 11, 1989; 57 FR 38190, Aug. 21, 1992]
POST NOTICE OF ALLOWANCE
37 CFR 2.88 Filing statement of use after notice of allowance.
(a) In an application under § 1(b) of the Act, a statement of use, required under § 1(d) of the Act, must be filed within six months after issuance of a notice of allowance under § 13(b)(2) of the Act, or within an extension of time granted under § 2.89. A statement of use that is filed prior to issuance of a notice of allowance is premature, will not be considered, and will be returned to the applicant.
(b) A complete statement of use must include:
(1) A verified statement that the applicant is believed to be the owner of the mark sought to be registered and that the mark is in use in commerce, specifying the date of the applicant's first use of the mark and first use of the mark in commerce, the type of commerce, those goods or services specified in the notice of allowance on or in connection with which the mark is in use in commerce and the mode or manner in which the mark is used on or in connection with such goods or services;
(2) Three specimens or facsimiles, conforming to the requirements of §§ 2.56, 2.57 and 2.58, of the mark as used in commerce; and
(3) The fee prescribed in § 2.6.
(c) The statement of use may be filed only when the applicant has made use of the mark in commerce on or in connection with all of the goods or services, as specified in the notice of allowance, for which applicant will seek registration in that application, unless the statement of use is accompanied by a request in accordance with § 2. 87 to divide out from the application the goods or services to which the statement of use pertains. If more than one item of goods or services is specified in the statement of use, the dates of use required in paragraph (b)(1) of this section need be for only one of the items specified in each class, provided the particular item to which the dates apply is designated.
(d) The title "Statement of use under § 2.88." should appear at the top of the first page of the paper.
(e) The Office will review a timely filed statement of use to determine whether it meets the following minimum requirements:
(1) The fee prescribed in § 2.6;
(2) At least one specimen or facsimile of the mark as used in commerce;
(3) A verification or declaration signed by the applicant stating that the mark is in use in commerce.
(f) A timely filed statement of use which meets the minimum requirements specified in paragraph (e) of this section will be examined in accordance with §§ 2.61 through 2.69. If, as a result of the examination of the statement of use, applicant is found not entitled to registration, applicant will be notified and advised of the reasons and of any formal requirements or refusals. The statement of use may be amended in accordance with §§ 2.59 and 2.71 through 2.75. If the statement of use is acceptable in all respects, the applicant will be notified of its acceptance.
(g) If the statement of use does not meet the minimum requirements specified in paragraph (e) of this section, applicant will be notified of the deficiency. If the time permitted for applicant to file a statement of use has not expired, applicant may correct the deficiency. After the filing of a statement of use during a permitted time period for such filing, the applicant may not withdraw the statement to return to the previous status of awaiting submission of a statement of use, regardless of whether it is in compliance with paragraph (e) of this section.
(h) The failure to timely file a statement of use which meets the minimum requirements specified in paragraph (e) of this section shall result in the abandonment of the application.
(i)
(1) The goods or services specified in a statement of use must conform to those goods or services identified in the notice of allowance. An applicant may specify the goods or services by stating "those goods or services identified in the notice of allowance" or, if appropriate, "those goods or services identified in the notice of allowance except * * *" followed by an identification of the goods or services to be deleted.
(2) If any goods or services specified in the notice of allowance are omitted from the identification of goods or services in the statement of use, the Trademark Examining Attorney shall inquire about the discrepancy and permit the applicant to amend the statement of use to include any omitted goods or services, provided that the amendment is supported by a verification that the mark was in use in commerce, on or in connection with each of the goods or services sought to be included, prior to the expiration of the time allowed to applicant for filing a statement of use.
(3) The statement of use may be accompanied by a separate request to amend the identification of goods or services in the application, as stated in the notice of allowance, in accordance with § 2.71(b).
(j) The statement of use may be accompanied by a separate request to amend the drawing in the application, in accordance with §§ 2.51 and 2.72.
[54 FR 37595, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.89 Extensions of time for filing a statement of use.
(a) The applicant may request a six-month extension of time to file the statement of use required under § 2.88 by submitting:
(1) A written request, before the expiration of the six-month period following the issuance of a notice of allowance under § 13(b)(2) of the Act;
(2) The fee prescribed in § 2.6; and
(3) A verified statement by the applicant that the applicant has a continued bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce, specifying those goods or services identified in the notice of allowance on or in connection with which the applicant has a continued bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce.
(b) The applicant may request further six-month extensions of time for filing the statement of use by submitting:
(1) A written request, prior to the expiration of a previously granted extension of time;
(2) The fee prescribed in § 2.6;
(3) A verified statement by the applicant that the applicant has a continued bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce, specifying those goods or services identified in the notice of allowance on or in connection with which the applicant has a continued bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce; and
(4) A showing of good cause, as specified in paragraph (d) of this section.
(c) Extensions of time under paragraph (b) of this section will be granted only in six-month increments and may not aggregate more than 24 months.
(1) An allegation that the applicant has not yet made use of the mark in commerce on all the goods or services specified in the notice of allowance on or in connection with which the applicant has a continued bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce, and
(2) A statement of applicant's ongoing efforts to make use of the mark in commerce on or in connection with each of the goods or services specified in the verified statement of continued bona fide intention to use required under paragraph (b) of this section. Those efforts may include, without limitation, product or service research or development, market research, manufacturing activities, promotional activities, steps to acquire distributors, steps to obtain required governmental approval, or other similar activities. In the alternative, a satisfactory explanation for the failure to make such efforts must be submitted.
(e)
(1) At the time of the filing of a statement of use, or during any time remaining in the existing six-month period in which a statement of use is filed, applicant may file one request, in accordance with paragraph (a) or (b) of this section, for a six-month extension of time for filing a statement of use, provided that the time requested would not extend beyond 36 months from the issuance of the notice of allowance. Thereafter, applicant may not request any further extensions of time.
(2) A request for an extension of time that is filed at the time of the filing of a statement of use, or during any time remaining in the existing six-month period in which a statement of use is filed, must comply with all the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section, if it is applicant's first extension request, or paragraph (b) of this section, if it is a second or subsequent extension request. However, in a request under paragraph (b) of this section, applicant may satisfy the requirement for a showing of good cause by asserting that applicant believes that it has made valid use of the mark in commerce, as evidenced by the submitted statement of use, but that if the statement of use is found by the Patent and Trademark Office to be fatally defective, applicant will need additional time in which to file a new statement of use.
(f) The goods or services specified in a request for an extension of time for filing a statement of use must conform to those goods or services identified in the notice of allowance. Any goods or services specified in the notice of allowance which are omitted from the identification of goods or services in the request for extension of time will be presumed to be deleted and the applicant may not thereafter request that the deleted goods or services be reinserted in the application. If appropriate, an applicant may specify the goods or services by stating "those goods or services identified in the notice of allowance" or "those goods or services identified in the notice of allowance except * * *" followed by an identification of the goods or services to be deleted.
(g) The applicant will be notified of the grant or denial of a request for an extension of time, and of the reasons for a denial. Failure to notify the applicant of the grant or denial of the request prior to the expiration of the existing period or requested extension does not relieve the applicant of the responsibility of timely filing a statement of use under § 2.88. If, after denial of an extension request, there is time remaining in the existing six-month period for filing a statement of use, applicant may submit a substitute request for extension of time. Otherwise, the only recourse available after denial of a request for an extension of time is a petition to the Commissioner in accordance with §§ 2.66 or 2.146. A petition from the denial of a request for an extension of time to file a statement of use shall be filed within one month from the date of mailing of the denial of the request. If the petition is granted, the term of the requested six-month extension which was the subject of the petition will run from the date of the expiration of the previously existing six-month period for filing a statement of use.
[54 FR 37595, Sept. 11, 1989]
INTERFERENCES AND CONCURRENT USE PROCEEDINGS
Authority: Sections 2.91 to 2.99 also issued under §§ 16, 17, 60 Stat. 434; 15 U.S.C. 1066, 1067.
37 CFR 2.91 Declaration of interference.
(a) An interference will not be declared between two applications or between an application and a registration except upon petition to the Commissioner. Interferences will be declared by the Commissioner only upon a showing of extraordinary circumstances which would result in a party being unduly prejudiced without an interference. In ordinary circumstances, the availability of an opposition or cancellation proceeding to the party will be deemed to remove any undue prejudice.
(b) Registrations and applications to register on the Supplemental Register, registrations under the Act of 1920, and registrations of marks the right to use of which has become incontestable are not subject to interference.
[37 FR 2881, Feb. 9, 1972, as amended at 54 FR 34897, Aug. 22, 1989]
37 CFR 2.92 Preliminary to interference.
An interference which has been declared by the Commissioner will not be instituted by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board until the Examiner of Trademarks has determined that the marks which are to form the subject matter of the controversy are registrable, and all of the marks have been published in the Official Gazette for opposition.
[37 FR 2881, Feb. 9, 1972, as amended at 54 FR 34897, Aug. 22, 1989]
37 CFR 2.93 Institution of interference.
An interference is instituted by the mailing of a notice of interference to the parties. The notice shall be sent to each applicant, in care of the applicant's attorney or other representative of record, if any, and if one of the parties is a registrant, the notice shall be sent to the registrant or the registrant's assignee of record. The notice shall give the name and address of every adverse party and of the adverse party's attorney or other authorized representative, if any, together with the serial number and date of filing and publication of each of the applications, or the registration number and date of issuance of each of the registrations, involved.
[41 FR 759, Jan. 5, 1976, as amended at 54 FR 34897, Aug. 22, 1989]
37 CFR §§ 2.94-2.95 [Reserved]
37 CFR 2.96 Issue; burden of proof.
The issue in an interference between applications is normally priority of use, but the rights of the parties to registration may also be determined. The party whose application involved in the interference has the latest filing date is the junior party and has the burden of proof. When there are more than two parties to an interference, a party shall be a junior party to and shall have the burden of proof as against every other party whose application involved in the interference has an earlier filing date. If the involved applications of any parties have the same filing date, the application with the latest date of execution will be deemed to have the latest filing date and that applicant will be the junior party. The issue in an interference between an application and a registration shall be the same, but in the event the final decision is adverse to the registrant, a registration to the applicant will not be authorized so long as the interfering registration remains on the register.
[48 FR 23135, May 23, 1983; 48 FR 27225, June 14, 1983]
37 CFR 2.97 [Reserved]
37 CFR 2.98 Adding party to interference.
A party may be added to an interference only upon petition to the Commissioner by that party. If an application which is or might be the subject of a petition for addition to an interference is not added, the examiner may suspend action on the application pending termination of the interference proceeding.
[48 FR 23135, May 23, 1983]
37 CFR 2.99 Application to register as concurrent user.
(a) An application for registration as a lawful concurrent user will be examined in the same manner as other applications for registration.
(b) When it is determined that the mark is ready for publication, the applicant may be required to furnish as many copies of his application, specimens and drawing as may be necessary for the preparation of notices for each applicant, registrant or user specified as a concurrent user in the application for registration.
(c) Upon receipt of the copies required by paragraph (b) of this section, the examiner shall forward the application for concurrent use registration for publication in the Official Gazette as provided by § 2.80. If no opposition is filed, or if all oppositions that are filed are dismissed or withdrawn, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board shall prepare a notice for the applicant for concurrent use registration and for each applicant, registrant or user specified as a concurrent user in the application. The notices for the specified parties shall state the name and address of the applicant and of the applicant's attorney or other authorized representative, if any, together with the serial number and filing date of the application.
(d)
(1) The notices shall be sent to each applicant, in care of his attorney or other authorized representative, if any, to each user, and to each registrant. A copy of the application shall be forwarded with the notice to each party specified in the application.
(2) An answer to the notice is not required in the case of an applicant or registrant whose application or registration is specified as a concurrent user in the application, but a statement, if desired, may be filed within forty days after the mailing of the notice; in the case of any other party specified as a concurrent user in the application, an answer must be filed within forty days after the mailing of the notice.
(3) If an answer, when required, is not filed, judgment will be entered precluding the specified user from claiming any right more extensive than that acknowledged in the application(s) for concurrent use registration, but the applicant(s) will remain with the burden of proving entitlement to registration(s).
(e) The applicant for a concurrent use registration has the burden of proving entitlement thereto. If there are two or more applications for concurrent use registration involved in a proceeding, the party whose application has the latest filing date is the junior party. A party whose application has a filing date between the filing dates of the earliest involved application and the latest involved application is a junior party to every party whose involved application has an earlier filing date. If any applications have the same filing date, the application with the latest date of execution will be deemed to have the latest filing date and that applicant will be the junior party. A person specified as an excepted user in a concurrent use application but who has not filed an application shall be considered a party senior to every party that has an application involved in the proceeding.
(f) When a concurrent use registration is sought on the basis that a court of competent jurisdiction has finally determined that the parties are entitled to use the same or similar marks in commerce, a concurrent use registration proceeding will not be instituted if all of the following conditions are fulfilled:
(1) The applicant is entitled to registration subject only to the concurrent lawful use of a party to the court proceeding; and
(2) The court decree specifies the rights of the parties; and
(3) A true copy of the court decree is submitted to the examiner; and
(4) The concurrent use application complies fully and exactly with the court decree; and
(5) The excepted use specified in the concurrent use application does not involve a registration, or any involved registration has been restricted by the Commissioner in accordance with the court decree.
If any of the conditions specified in this paragraph is not satisfied, a concurrent use registration proceeding shall be prepared and instituted as provided in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section.
(g) Registrations and applications to register on the Supplemental Register and registrations under the Act of 1920 are not subject to concurrent use registration proceedings. Applications to register under § 1(b) of the Act of 1946 are subject to concurrent use registration proceedings only after an acceptable amendment to allege use under § 2.76 or statement of use under § 2.88 has been filed.
(h) The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board will consider and determine concurrent use rights only in the context of a concurrent use registration proceeding.
[48 FR 23135, May 23, 1983; 48 FR 27225, June 14, 1983, as amended at 54 FR 37596, Sept. 11, 1989]
OPPOSITION
Authority: Sections 2.101 to 2.106 also issued under §§ 13, 17, 60 Stat. 433, 434; 15 U.S.C. 1063, 1067.
37 CFR 2.101 Filing an opposition.
(a) An opposition proceeding is commenced by the filing of an opposition in the Patent and Trademark Office.
(b) Any entity which believes that it would be damaged by the registration of a mark on the Principal Register may oppose the same by filing an opposition, which should be addressed to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. The opposition need not be verified, and may be signed by the opposer or the opposer's attorney or other authorized representative.
(c) The opposition must be filed within thirty days after publication (§ 2.80) of the application being opposed or within an extension of time (§ 2.102) for filing an opposition.
(d)
(1) The opposition must be accompanied by the required fee for each party joined as opposer for each class in the application for which registration is opposed (see § 2.6(1)). If no fee, or a fee insufficient to pay for one person to oppose the registration of a mark in at least one class, is submitted within thirty days after publication of the mark to be opposed or within an extension of time for filing an opposition, the opposition will not be refused if the required fee(s) is submitted to the Patent and Trademark Office within the time limit set in the notification of this defect by the Office.
(2) If the fees submitted are sufficient to pay for one person to oppose registration in at least one class but are insufficient for an opposition against all of the classes in the application, and the particular class or classes against which the opposition is filed are not specified, the Office will issue a written notice allowing opposer until a set time in which to submit the required fee(s) or to specify the class or classes opposed. If the required fee(s) is not submitted, or the specification made, within the time set in the notice, the opposition will be presumed to be against the class or classes in ascending order, beginning with the lowest numbered class and including the number of classes in the application for which the fees submitted are sufficient to pay the fee due for each class.
(3) If persons are joined as party opposers, and the fees submitted are sufficient to pay for one person to oppose registration in at least one class but are insufficient for each named party opposer, the Office will issue a written notice allowing the named party opposers until a set time in which to submit the required fee(s) or to specify the opposer(s) to which the submitted fees apply. If the required fee(s) is not submitted, or the specification made, within the time set in the notice, the first named party will be presumed to be the party opposer and additional parties will be deemed to be party opposers to the extent that the fees submitted are sufficient to pay the fee due for each party opposer. If persons are joined as party opposers against the registration of a mark in more than one class, the fees submitted are insufficient, and no specification of opposers and classes is made within the time set in the written notice issued by the Office, the fees submitted will be applied first on behalf of the first-named opposer against as many of the classes in the application as the submitted fees are sufficient to pay, and any excess will be applied on behalf of the second-named party to the opposition against the classes in the application in ascending order.
[48 FR 3976, Jan. 28, 1983, as amended at 51 FR 28709, Aug. 11, 1986; 54 FR 37596, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.102 Extension of time for filing an opposition.
(a) Any person who believes that he would be damaged by the registration of a mark on the Principal Register may file a written request to extend the time for filing an opposition. The written request may be signed by the potential opposer or by an attorney at law or other person authorized, in accordance with § 2.12(b) and (c) and § 2.17(b), to represent the potential opposer.
(b) The written request to extend the time for filing an opposition must identify the potential opposer with reasonable certainty. Any opposition filed during an extension of time should be in the name of the person to whom the extension was granted, but an opposition may be accepted if the person in whose name the extension was requested was misidentified through mistake or if the opposition is filed in the name of a person in privity with the person who requested and was granted the extension of time.
(c) The written request to extend the time for filing an opposition must be filed in the Patent and Trademark Office before the expiration of thirty days from the date of publication or within any extension of time previously granted, should specify the period of extension desired, and should be addressed to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. A first extension of time for not more than thirty days will be granted upon request. Further extensions of time may be granted by the Board for good cause. In addition, extensions of time to file an opposition aggregating more than 120 days from the date of publication of the application will not be granted except upon
(1) a written consent or stipulation signed by the applicant or its authorized representative, or
(2) written request by the potential opposer or its authorized representative stating that the applicant or its authorized representative has consented to the request, and including proof of service on the applicant or its authorized representative, or
(3) a showing of extraordinary circumstances, it being considered that a potential opposer has an adequate alternative remedy by a petition for cancellation.
(d) Every request to extend the time for filing a notice of opposition should be submitted in triplicate (original plus two copies).
[48 FR 3976, Jan. 28, 1983]
37 CFR 2.104 Contents of opposition.
(a) The opposition must set forth a short and plain statement showing why the opposer believes it would be damaged by the registration of the opposed mark and state the grounds for opposition. A duplicate copy of the opposition, including exhibits, shall be filed with the opposition.
(b) Oppositions to different applications owned by the same party may be joined in a consolidated opposition when appropriate, but the required fee must be included for each party joined as opposer for each class in which registration is opposed in each application against which the opposition is filed.
[51 FR 28709, Aug. 11, 1986, as amended at 54 FR 34897, Aug. 22, 1989]
37 CFR 2.105 Notification of opposition proceeding(s).
When an opposition in proper form has been filed and the correct fee(s) has been submitted, a notification shall be prepared by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, which shall identify the title and number of the proceeding and the application involved and shall designate a time, not less than thirty days from the mailing date of the notification, within which an answer must be filed. A copy of the notification shall be forwarded to the attorney or other authorized representative of the opposer, if any, or to the opposer. The duplicate copy of the opposition and exhibits shall be forwarded with a copy of the notification to the attorney or other authorized representative of the applicant, if any, or to the applicant.
[48 FR 23136, May 23, 1983]
37 CFR 2.106 Answer.
(a) If no answer is filed within the time set, the opposition may be decided as in case of default.
(b)
(1) An answer shall state in short and plain terms the applicant's defenses to each claim asserted and shall admit or deny the averments upon which the opposer relies. If the applicant is without knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to the truth of an averment, applicant shall so state and this will have the effect of a denial. Denials may take any of the forms specified in Rule 8(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. An answer may contain any defense, including the affirmative defenses of unclean hands, laches, estoppel, acquiescence, fraud, mistake, prior judgment, or any other matter constituting an avoidance or affirmative defense. When pleading special matters, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure shall be followed. A reply to an affirmative defense need not be filed. When a defense attacks the validity of a registration pleaded in the opposition, paragraph (b)(2) of this section shall govern. A pleaded registration is a registration identified by number and date of issuance in an original notice of opposition or in any amendment thereto made under Rule 15, Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
(2)
(i) A defense attacking the validity of any one or more of the registrations pleaded in the opposition shall be a compulsory counterclaim if grounds for such counterclaim exist at the time when the answer is filed. If grounds for a counterclaim are known to the applicant when the answer to the opposition is filed, the counterclaim shall be pleaded with or as part of the answer. If grounds for a counterclaim are learned during the course of the opposition proceeding, the counterclaim shall be pleaded promptly after the grounds therefor are learned. A counterclaim need not be filed if it is the subject of another proceeding between the same parties or anyone in privity therewith.
(ii) An attack on the validity of a registration pleaded by an opposer will not be heard unless a counterclaim or separate petition is filed to seek the cancellation of such registration.
(iii) The provisions of §§ 2.111 through 2.115, inclusive, shall be applicable to counterclaims. A time, not less than thirty days, will be designated within which an answer to the counterclaim must be filed.
(iv) The times for pleading, discovery, testimony, briefs or oral argument will be reset or extended when necessary, upon motion by a party, to enable a party fully to present or meet a counterclaim or separate petition for cancellation of a registration.
(c) The opposition may be withdrawn without prejudice before the answer is filed. After the answer is filed, the opposition may not be withdrawn without prejudice except with the written consent of the applicant or the applicant's attorney or other authorized representative.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 46 FR 6940, Jan. 22, 1981; 48 FR 23136, May 23, 1983; 54 FR 34987, Aug. 22, 1989]
37 CFR 2.107 Amendment of pleadings in an opposition proceeding.
Pleadings in an opposition proceeding may be amended in the same manner and to the same extent as in a civil action in a United States district court.
[48 FR 23136, May 1983]
CANCELLATION
Authority: Sections 2.111 to 2.114 also issued under sections 14, 17, 24, 60 Stat. 433, 434, 436; 15 U.S.C. 1064, 1067, 1092.
37 CFR 2.111 Filing petition for cancellation.
(a) A cancellation proceeding is commenced by the timely filing of a petition for cancellation, together with the required fee, in the Patent and Trademark Office.
(b) Any entity which believes that it is or will be damaged by a registration may file a petition, which should be addressed to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, to cancel the registration in whole or in part. The petition need not be verified, and may be signed by the petitioner or the petitioner's attorney or other authorized representative. The petition may be filed at any time in the case of registrations on the Supplemental Register or under the Act of 1920, or registrations under the Act of 1881 or the Act of 1905 which have not been published under § 12(c) of the Act, or on any ground specified in § 14(c) or (e) of the Act. In all other cases the petition and the required fee must be filed within five years from the date of registration of the mark under the Act or from the date of publication under § 12(c) of the Act.
(c)
(1) The petition must be accompanied by the required fee for each class in the registration for which cancellation is sought (see §§ 2.6(1) and 2.85(e)). If the fees submitted are insufficient for a cancellation against all of the classes in the registration, and the particular class or classes against which the cancellation is filed are not specified, the Office will issue a written notice allowing petitioner until a set time in which to submit the required fee(s) (provided that the five-year period, if applicable, has not expired) or to specify the class or classes sought to be cancelled. If the required fee(s) is not submitted, or the specification made, within the time set in the notice, the cancellation will be presumed to be against the class or classes in ascending order, beginning with the lowest numbered class, and including the number of classes in the registration for which the fees submitted are sufficient to pay the fee due for each class.
(2) If persons are joined as party petitioners, each must submit a fee for each class for which cancellation is sought. If the fees submitted are insufficient for each named party petitioner, the Office will issue a written notice allowing the named party petitioners until a set time in which to submit the required fee(s) (provided that the five-year period, if applicable, has not expired) or to specify the petitioner(s) to which the submitted fees apply. If the required fee(s) is not submitted, or the specification made, within the time set in the notice, the first named party will be presumed to be the party petitioner and additional parties will be deemed to be party petitioners to the extent that the fees submitted are sufficient to pay the fee due for each party petitioner. If persons are joined as party petitioners against a registration sought to be cancelled in more than one class, the fees submitted are insufficient, and no specification of parties and classes is made within the time set in the written notice issued by the Office, the fees submitted will be applied first on behalf of the first-named petitioner against as many of the classes in the registration as the submitted fees are sufficient to pay, and any excess will be applied on behalf of the second-named party to the petition against the classes in the registration in ascending order.
(3) The filing date of the petition is the date of receipt in the Patent and Trademark Office of the petition together with the required fee. If the amount of the fee filed with the petition is sufficient to pay for at least one person to petition to cancel one class of goods or services but is less than the required amount because multiple party petitioners and/or multiple classes in the registration for which cancellation is sought are involved, and the required additional amount of the fee is filed within the time limit set in the notification of the defect by the Office, the filing date of the petition with respect to the additional party petitioners and/or classes is the date of receipt in the Patent and Trademark Office of the additional fees.
[48 FR 3976, Jan. 28, 1983; 54 FR 37596, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.112 Contents of petition for cancellation.
(a) The petition to cancel must set forth a short and plain statement showing why the petitioner believes it is or will be damaged by the registration, state the grounds for cancellation, and indicate, to the best of petitioner's knowledge, the name and address of the current owner of the registration. A duplicate copy of the petition, including exhibits, shall be filed with the petition.
(b) Petitions to cancel different registrations owned by the same party may be joined in a consolidated petition when appropriate, but the required fee must be included for each party joined as petitioner for each class sought to be cancelled in each registration against which the petition to cancel is filed.
[48 FR 3997, Jan. 28, 1983, as amended at 51 FR 28710, Aug. 11, 1986; 54 FR 34897, Aug. 22, 1989]
37 CFR 2.113 Notification of cancellation proceeding.
When a petition for cancellation has been filed in proper form (see §§ 2.111 and 2.112), a notification shall be prepared by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, which shall identify the title and number of the proceeding and the registration or registrations involved and shall designate a time, not less than thirty days from the mailing date of the notification, within which an answer must be filed. A copy of the notification shall be forwarded to the attorney or other authorized representative of the petitioner, if any, or to the petitioner. The duplicate copy of the petition for cancellation and exhibits shall be forwarded with a copy of the notification to the respondent (see § 2.118), who shall be the party shown by the records of the Patent and Trademark Office to be the current owner of the registration or registrations sought to be cancelled, except that the Board, in its discretion, may join or substitute as respondent a party who makes a showing of a current ownership interest in such registration or registrations. When the party identified by the petitioner, pursuant to § 2.112(a), as the current owner of the registration or registrations is not the record owner thereof, a courtesy copy of the petition for cancellation shall be forwarded with a copy of the notification to the alleged current owner, which may file a motion to be joined or substituted as respondent. If the petition is found to be defective as to form, the party filing the petition shall be so advised and allowed a reasonable time for correcting the informality.
[48 FR 23136, May 23, 1983; 48 FR 27226, June 14, 1983, as amended at 54 FR 34897, Aug. 22, 1989]
37 CFR 2.114 Answer.
(a) If no answer is filed within the time set, the petition may be decided as in case of default.
(b)
(1) An answer shall state in short and plain terms the respondent's defenses to each claim asserted and shall admit or deny the averments upon which the petitioner relies. If the respondent is without knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to the truth of an averment, respondent shall so state and this will have the effect of a denial. Denials may take any of the forms specified in Rule 8(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. An answer may contain any defense, including the affirmative defenses of unclean hands, laches, estoppel, acquiescence, fraud, mistake, prior judgment, or any other matter constituting an avoidance or affirmative defense. When pleading special matters, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure shall be followed. A reply to an affirmative defense need not be filed. When a defense attacks the validity of a registration pleaded in the petition, paragraph (b)(2) of this section shall govern. A pleaded registration is a registration identified by number and date of issuance in an original petition for cancellation or in any amendment thereto made under Rule 15, Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
(2)
(i) A defense attacking the validity of any one or more of the registrations pleaded in the petition shall be a compulsory counterclaim if grounds for such counterclaim exist at the time when the answer is filed. If grounds for a counterclaim are known to respondent when the answer to the petition is filed, the counterclaim shall be pleaded with or as part of the answer. If grounds for a counterclaim are learned during the course of the cancellation proceeding, the counterclaim shall be pleaded promptly after the grounds therefor are learned. A counterclaim need not be filed if it is the subject of another proceeding between the same parties or anyone in privity therewith.
(ii) An attack on the validity of a registration pleaded by a petitioner for cancellation will not be heard unless a counterclaim or separate petition is filed to seek the cancellation of such registration.
(iii) The provisions of §§ 2.111 through 2.115, inclusive, shall be applicable to counterclaims. A time, not less than thirty days, will be designated within which an answer to the counterclaim must be filed.
(iv) The times for pleading, discovery, testimony, briefs, or oral argument will be reset or extended when necessary, upon motion by a party, to enable a party fully to present or meet a counterclaim or separate petition for cancellation of a registration.
(c) The petition for cancellation may be withdrawn without prejudice before the answer is filed. After the answer is filed, the petition may not be withdrawn without prejudice except with the written consent of the registrant or the registrant's attorney or other authorized representative.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 46 FR 6940, Jan. 22, 1981; 46 FR 11548, Feb. 9, 1981; 51 FR 28710, Aug. 11, 1986; 54 FR 34898, Aug. 22, 1989]
37 CFR 2.115 Amendment of pleadings in a cancellation proceeding.
Pleadings in a cancellation proceeding may be amended in the same manner and to the same extent as in a civil action in a United States district court.
[48 FR 23136, May 23, 1983]
PROCEDURE IN INTER PARTES PROCEEDINGS
Authority: Sections 2.116 to 2.136 also issued under § 17, 60 Stat. 434; 15 U.S.C. 1067.
37 CFR 2.116 Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
(a) Except as otherwise provided, and wherever applicable and appropriate, procedure and practice in inter partes proceedings shall be governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
(b) The opposer in an opposition proceeding or the petitioner in a cancellation proceeding shall be in the position of plaintiff, and the applicant in an opposition proceeding or the respondent in a cancellation proceeding shall be in the position of defendant. A party that is a junior party in an interference proceeding or in a concurrent use of registration proceeding shall be in the position of plaintiff against every party that is senior, and the party that is a senior party in an interference proceeding or in a concurrent use registration proceeding shall be a defendant against every party that is junior.
(c) The opposition or the petition for cancellation and the answer correspond to the complaint and answer in a court proceeding.
(d) The assignment of testimony periods corresponds to setting a case for trial in court proceedings.
(e) The taking of depositions during the assigned testimony periods corresponds to the trial in court proceedings.
(f) Oral hearing corresponds to oral summation in court proceedings.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965. Redesignated and amended at 37 FR 7606, Apr. 18, 1972, as amended at 48 FR 23136, May 23, 1983]
37 CFR 2.117 Suspension of proceedings.
(a) Whenever it shall come to the attention of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board that parties to a pending case are engaged in a civil action which may be dispositive of the case, proceedings before the Board may be suspended until termination of the civil action.
(b) Whenever there is pending, at the time when the question of the suspension of proceedings is raised, a motion which is potentially dispositive of the case, the motion may be decided before the question of suspension is considered.
(c) Proceedings may also be suspended, for good cause, upon motion or a stipulation of the parties approved by the Board.
[48 FR 23136, May 23, 1983]
37 CFR 2.118 Undelivered Office notices.
When the notices sent by the Patent and Trademark Office to any registrant are returned to the Office undelivered, or when one of the parties resides abroad and his representative in the United States is unknown, additional notice may be given by publication in the Official Gazette for such period of time as the Commissioner may direct.
37 CFR 2.119 Service and signing of papers.
(a) Every paper filed in the Patent and Trademark Office in inter partes cases, including notice of appeal, must be served upon the other parties except the notice of interference (§ 2.93), the notification of opposition (§ 2.105), the petition for cancellation (§ 2.113), and the notice of a concurrent use proceeding (§ 2.99), which are mailed by the Patent and Trademark Office. Proof of such service must be made before the paper will be considered by the Office. A statement signed by the attorney or other authorized representative, attached to or appearing on the original paper when filed, clearly stating the date and manner in which service was made will be accepted as prima facie proof of service.
(b) Service of papers must be on the attorney or other authorized representative of the party if there be such or on the party if there is no attorney or other authorized representative, and may be made in any of the following ways:
(1) By delivering a copy of the paper to the person served;
(2) By leaving a copy at the usual place of business of the person served, with someone in the person's employment;
(3) When the person served has no usual place of business, by leaving a copy at the person's residence, with a member of the person's family over 14 years of age and of discretion;
(4) Transmission by the "Express Mail Post Office to Addressee" service of the United States Postal Service or by first-class mail, which may also be certified or registered;
(5) Transmission by overnight courier.
Whenever it shall be satisfactorily shown to the Commissioner that none of the above modes of obtaining service or serving the paper is practicable, service may be by notice published in the Official Gazette.
(c) When service is made by first-class mail, "Express Mail," or overnight courier, the date of mailing or of delivery to the overnight courier will be considered the date of service. Whenever a party is required to take some action within a prescribed period after the service of a paper upon the party by another party and the paper is served by first-class mail, "Express Mail," or overnight courier, 5 days shall be added to the prescribed period.
(d) If a party to an inter partes proceeding is not domiciled in the United States and is not represented by an attorney or other authorized representative located in the United States, the party must designate by written document filed in the Patent and Trademark Office the name and address of a person resident in the United States on whom may be served notices or process in the proceeding. In such cases, official communication of the Patent and Trademark Office will be addressed to the domestic representative unless the proceeding is being prosecuted by an attorney at law or other qualified person duly authorized under § 10.14(c) of this subchapter. The mere designation of a domestic representative does not authorize the person designated to prosecute the proceeding unless qualified under § 10.14(a), or qualified under paragraph (b) or (c) of § 10.14 and authorized under § 2.17(b).
(e) Every paper filed in an inter partes proceeding, and every request for an extension of time to file an opposition, must be signed by the party filing it, or by the party's attorney or other authorized representative, but an unsigned paper will not be refused consideration if a signed copy is submitted to the Patent and Trademark Office within the time limit set in the notification of this defect by the Office.
[37 FR 7606, Apr. 18, 1972, as amended at 41 FR 760, Jan. 5, 1976; 54 FR 34898, Aug. 22, 1989]
37 CFR 2.120 Discovery.
(a) In general. The provisions of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure relating to discovery shall apply in opposition, cancellation, interference and concurrent use registration proceedings except as otherwise provided in this section. The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board will specify the closing date for the taking of discovery. The opening of discovery is governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
(b) Discovery deposition within the United States. The deposition of a natural person shall be taken in the Federal judicial district where the person resides or is regularly employed or at any place on which the parties agree by stipulation. The responsibility rests wholly with the party taking discovery to secure the attendance of a proposed deponent other than a party or anyone who, at the time set for the taking of the deposition, is an officer, director, or managing agent of a party, or a person designated under Rule 30(b)(6) or Rule 31(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. (See 35 U.S.C. 24.)
(c) Discovery deposition in foreign countries.
(1) The discovery deposition of a natural person residing in a foreign country who is a party or who, at the time set for the taking of the deposition, is an officer, director, or managing agent of a party, or a person designated under Rule 30(b)(6) or Rule 31(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, shall, if taken in a foreign country be taken in the manner prescribed by § 2.124 unless the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, upon motion for good cause, orders or the parties stipulate, that the deposition be taken by oral examination.
(2) Whenever a foreign party is or will be, during a time set for discovery, present within the United States or any territory which is under the control and jurisdiction of the United States, such party may be deposed by oral examination upon notice by the party seeking discovery. Whenever a foreign party has or will have, during a time set for discovery, an officer, director, managing agent, or other person who consents to testify on its behalf, present within the United States or any territory which is under the control and jurisdiction of the United States, such officer, director, managing agent, or other person who consents to testify in its behalf may be deposed by oral examination upon notice by the party seeking discovery. The party seeking discovery may have one or more officers, directors, managing agents, or other persons who consent to testify on behalf of the adverse party, designated under Rule 30(b)(6) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The deposition of a person under this paragraph shall be taken in the Federal judicial district where the witness resides or is regularly employed, or, if the witness neither resides nor is regularly employed in a Federal judicial district, where the witness is at the time of the deposition. This paragraph does not preclude the taking of a discovery deposition of a foreign party by any other procedure provided by paragraph (c)(1) of this section.
(d) Interrogatories; request for production.
(1) The total number of written interrogatories which a party may serve upon another party pursuant to Rule 33 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, in a proceeding, shall not exceed seventy-five, counting subparts, except that the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, in its discretion, may allow additional interrogatories upon motion therefor showing good cause, or upon stipulation of the parties. A motion for leave to serve additional interrogatories must be filed and granted prior to the service of the proposed additional interrogatories and must be accompanied by a copy of the interrogatories, if any, which have already been served by the moving party, and by a copy of the interrogatories proposed to be served. If a party upon which interrogatories have been served believes that the number of interrogatories served exceeds the limitation specified in this paragraph, and is not willing to waive this basis for objection, the party shall, within the time for (and instead of) serving answers and specific objections to the interrogatories, serve a general objection on the ground of their excessive number. If the inquiring party, in turn, files a motion to compel discovery, the motion must be accompanied by a copy of the set(s) of the interrogatories which together are said to exceed the limitation, and must otherwise comply with the requirements of paragraph (e) of this section.
(2) The production of documents and things under the provisions of Rule 34 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure will be made at the place where the documents and things are usually kept, or where the parties agree, or where and in the manner which the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, upon motion, orders.
(e) Motion for an order to compel discovery. If a party fails to designate a person pursuant to Rule 30(b)(6) or Rule 31(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, or if a party or such designated person, or an officer, director or managing agent of a party fails to attend a deposition or fails to answer any question propounded in a discovery deposition, or any interrogatory, or fails to produce and permit the inspection and copying of any document or thing, the party seeking discovery may file a motion before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board for an order to compel a designation, or attendance at a deposition, or an answer, or production and an opportunity to inspect and copy. The motion shall include a copy of the request for designation or of the relevant portion of the discovery deposition; or a copy of the interrogatory with any answer or objection that was made; or a copy of the request for production, any proffer of production or objection to production in response to the request, and a list and brief description of the documents or things that were not produced for inspection and copying. The motion must be supported by a written statement from the moving party that such party or the attorney therefor has made a good faith effort, by conference or correspondence, to resolve with the other party or the attorney therefor the issues presented in the motion and has been unable to reach agreement. If issues raised in the motion are subsequently resolved by agreement of the parties, the moving party should inform the Board in writing of the issues in the motion which no longer require adjudication.
(f) Motion for a protective order. Upon motion by a party from whom discovery is sought, and for good cause, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board may make any order which justice requires to protect a party from annoyance, embarrassment, oppression, or undue burden or expense, including one or more of the types of orders provided by clauses (1) through (8), inclusive, of Rule 26(c) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. If the motion for a protective order is denied in whole or in part, the Board may, on such conditions (other than an award of expenses to the party prevailing on the motion) as are just, order that any party provide or permit discovery.
(g) Sanctions.
(1) If a party fails to comply with an order of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board relating to discovery, including a protective order, the Board may make any appropriate order, including any of the orders provided in Rule 37(b)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, except that the Board does not have authority to hold any person in contempt or to award any expenses to any party. The Board may impose against a party any of the sanctions provided by this subsection in the event that said party or any attorney, agent, or designated witness of that party fails to comply with a protective order made pursuant to Rule 26(c) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
(2) If a party, or an officer, director, or managing agent of a party, or a person designated under Rule 30(b)(6) or 31(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to testify on behalf of a party, fails to attend the party's or person's discovery deposition, after being served with proper notice, or fails to provide any response to a set of interrogatories or to a set of requests for production of documents and things, and such party or the party's attorney or other authorized representative informs the party seeking discovery that no response will be made thereto, the Board may make any appropriate order, as specified in paragraph (g)(1) of this section.
(h) Request for admissions. Requests for admissions shall be governed by Rule 36 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure except that the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board does not have authority to award any expenses to any party. A motion by a party to determine the sufficiency of an answer or objection to a request made by that party for an admission shall include a copy of the request for admission and any exhibits thereto and of the answer or objection. The motion must be supported by a written statement from the moving party that such party or the attorney therefor has made a good faith effort, by conference or correspondence, to resolve with the other party or the attorney therefor the issues presented in the motion and has been unable to reach agreement. If issues raised in the motion are subsequently resolved by agreement of the parties, the moving party should inform the Board in writing of the issues in the motion which no longer require adjudication.
(i) Telephone and pre-trial conferences.
(1) Whenever it appears to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board that a motion filed in an inter partes proceeding is of such nature that its resolution by correspondence is not practical, the Board may, upon its own initiative or upon request made by one or both of the parties, resolve the motion by telephone conference.
(2) Whenever it appears to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board that questions or issues arising during the interlocutory phase of an inter partes proceeding have become so complex that their resolution by correspondence or telephone conference is not practical and that resolution would be likely to be facilitated by a conference in person of the parties or their attorneys with a Member or Attorney-Examiner of the Board, the Board may, upon its own initiative or upon motion made by one or both of the parties, request that the parties or their attorneys, under circumstances which will not result in undue hardship for any party, meet with the Board at its offices for a pre-trial conference.
(j) Use of discovery deposition, answer to interrogatory, or admission.
(1) The discovery deposition of a party or of anyone who at the time of taking the deposition was an officer, director or managing agent of a party, or a person designated by a party pursuant to Rule 30(b)(6) or Rule 31(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, may be offered in evidence by an adverse party.
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (j)(1) of this section, the discovery deposition of a witness, whether or not a party, shall not be offered in evidence unless the person whose deposition was taken is, during the testimony period of the party offering the deposition, dead; or out of the United States (unless it appears that the absence of the witness was procured by the party offering the deposition); or unable to testify because of age, illness, infirmity, or imprisonment; or cannot be served with a subpoena to compel attendance at a testimonial deposition; or there is a stipulation by the parties; or upon a showing that such exceptional circumstances exist as to make it desirable, in the interest of justice, to allow the deposition to be used. The use of a discovery deposition by any party under this paragraph will be allowed only by stipulation of the parties approved by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, or by order of the Board on motion, which shall be filed at the time of the purported offer of the deposition in evidence, unless the motion is based upon a claim that such exceptional circumstances exist as to make it desirable, in the interest of justice, to allow the deposition to be used, in which case the motion shall be filed promptly after the circumstances claimed to justify use of the deposition became known.
(3)
(i) A discovery deposition, an answer to an interrogatory, or an admission to a request for admission, which may be offered in evidence under the provisions of paragraph (j) of this section may be made of record in the case by filing the deposition or any part thereof with any exhibit to the part that is filed, or a copy of the interrogatory and answer thereto with any exhibit made part of the answer, or a copy of the request for admission and any exhibit thereto and the admission (or a statement that the party from which an admission was requested failed to respond thereto), together with a notice of reliance. The notice of reliance and the material submitted thereunder should be filed during the testimony period of the party which files the notice of reliance. An objection made at a discovery deposition by a party answering a question subject to the objection will be considered at final hearing.
(ii) A party which has obtained documents from another party under Rule 34 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure may not make the documents of record by notice of reliance alone, except to the extent that they are admissible by notice of reliance under the provisions of § 2.122(e).
(4) If only part of a discovery deposition is submitted and made part of the record by a party, an adverse party may introduce under a notice of reliance any other part of the deposition which should in fairness be considered so as to make not misleading what was offered by the submitting party. A notice of reliance filed by an adverse party must be supported by a written statement explaining why the adverse party needs to rely upon each additional part listed in the adverse party's notice, failing which the Board, in its discretion, may refuse to consider the additional parts.
(5) An answer to an interrogatory, or an admission to a request for admission, may be submitted and made part of the record by only the inquiring party except that, if fewer than all of the answers to interrogatories, or fewer than all of the admissions, are offered in evidence by the inquiring party, the responding party may introduce under a notice of reliance any other answers to interrogatories, or any other admissions, which should in fairness be considered so as to make not misleading what was offered by the inquiring party. The notice of reliance filed by the responding party must be supported by a written statement explaining why the responding party needs to rely upon each of the additional discovery responses listed in the responding party's notice, failing which the Board, in its discretion, may refuse to consider the additional responses.
(6) Paragraph (j) of this section will not be interpreted to preclude the reading or the use of a discovery deposition, or answer to an interrogatory, or admission as part of the examination or cross-examination of any witness during the testimony period of any party.
(7) When a discovery deposition, or a part thereof, or an answer to an interrogatory, or an admission, has been made of record by one party in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (j)(3) of this section, it may be referred to by any party for any purpose permitted by the Federal Rules of Evidence.
(8) Requests for discovery, responses thereto, and materials or depositions obtained through the discovery process should not be filed with the Board except when submitted with a motion relating to discovery, or in support of or response to a motion for summary judgment, or under a notice of reliance during a party's testimony period. Papers or materials filed in violation of this paragraph may be returned by the Board.
[48 FR 23136, May 23, 1983, as amended at 54 FR 34899, Aug. 22, 1989; 54 FR 38041, Sept. 14, 1989; 56 FR 46376, Sept. 12, 1991]
37 CFR 2.121 Assignment of times for taking testimony.
(a)
(1) The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board will issue a trial order assigning to each party the time for taking testimony. No testimony shall be taken except during the times assigned, unless by stipulation of the parties approved by the Board, or, upon motion, by order of the Board. Testimony periods may be rescheduled by stipulation of the parties approved by the Board, or upon motion granted by the Board, or by order of the Board. The resetting of the closing date for discovery will result in the rescheduling of the testimony periods without action by any party. The resetting of a party's time to respond to an outstanding request for discovery will not result in the automatic rescheduling of the discovery and/or testimony periods; such dates will be rescheduled only upon stipulation of the parties approved by the Board, or upon motion granted by the Board, or by order of the Board.
(2) The initial trial order will be mailed by the Board after issue is joined.
(b)
(1) The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board will schedule a testimony period for the plaintiff to present its case in chief, a testimony period for the defendant to present its case and to meet the case of the plaintiff, and a testimony period for the plaintiff to present evidence in rebuttal.
(2) When there is a counterclaim, or when proceedings have been consolidated and one party is in the position of plaintiff in one of the involved proceedings and in the position of defendant in another of the involved proceedings, or when there is an interference or a concurrent use registration proceeding involving more than two parties, the Board will schedule testimony periods so that each party in the position of plaintiff will have a period for presenting its case in chief against each party in the position of defendant, each party in the position of defendant will have a period for presenting its case and meeting the case of each plaintiff, and each party in the position of plaintiff will have a period for presenting evidence in rebuttal.
(c) A testimony period which is solely for rebuttal will be set for fifteen days. All other testimony periods will be set for thirty days. The periods may be extended by stipulation of the parties approved by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, or upon motion granted by the Board, or by order of the Board.
(d) When parties stipulate to the rescheduling of testimony periods or to the rescheduling of the closing date for discovery and the rescheduling of testimony periods, a stipulation presented in the form used in a trial order, signed by the parties, or a motion in said form signed by one party and including a statement that every other party has agreed thereto, and submitted in one original plus as many photocopies as there are parties, will, if approved, be so stamped, signed, and dated, and the copies will be promptly returned to the parties.
[48 FR 23138, May 23, 1983; 48 FR 27226, June 14, 1983, as amended at 54 FR 34899, Aug. 22, 1989]
37 CFR 2.122 Matters in evidence.
(a) Rules of evidence. The rules of evidence for proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board are the Federal Rules of Evidence, the relevant provisions of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the relevant provisions of Title 28 of the United States Code, and the provisions of this Part of Title 37 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(b) Application files.
(1) The file of each application or registration specified in a declaration of interference, of each application or registration specified in the notice of a concurrent use registration proceeding, of the application against which a notice of opposition is filed, or of each registration against which a petition or counterclaim for cancellation is filed forms part of the record of the proceeding without any action by the parties and reference may be made to the file for any relevant and competent purpose.
(2) The allegation in an application for registration, or in a registration, of a date of use is not evidence on behalf of the applicant or registrant; a date of use of a mark must be established by competent evidence. Specimens in the file of an application for registration, or in the file of a registration, are not evidence on behalf of the applicant or registrant unless identified and introduced in evidence as exhibits during the period for the taking of testimony.
(c) Exhibits to pleadings. Except as provided in paragraph (d)(1) of this section, an exhibit attached to a pleading is not evidence on behalf of the party to whose pleading the exhibit is attached unless identified and introduced in evidence as an exhibit during the period for the taking of testimony.
(d) Registrations.
(1) A registration of the opposer or petitioner pleaded in an opposition or petition to cancel will be received in evidence and made part of the record if the opposition or petition is accompanied by two copies of the registration prepared and issued by the Patent and Trademark Office showing both the current status of and current title to the registration. For the cost of a copy of a registration showing status and title, see § 2.6(n).
(2) A registration owned by any party to a proceeding may be made of record in the proceeding by that party by appropriate identification and introduction during the taking of testimony or by filing a notice of reliance, which shall be accompanied by a copy of the registration prepared and issued by the Patent and Trademark Office showing both the current status of and current title to the registration. The notice of reliance shall be filed during the testimony period of the party that files the notice.
(e) Printed publications and official records. Printed publications, such as books and periodicals, available to the general public in libraries or of general circulation among members of the public or that segment of the public which is relevant under an issue in a proceeding, and official records, if the publication or official record is competent evidence and relevant to an issue, may be introduced in evidence by filing a notice of reliance on the material being offered. The notice shall specify the printed publication (including information sufficient to identify the source and the date of the publication) or the official record and the pages to be read; indicate generally the relevance of the material being offered; and be accompanied by the official record or a copy thereof whose authenticity is established under the Federal Rules of Evidence, or by the printed publication or a copy of the relevant portion thereof. A copy of an official record of the Patent and Trademark Office need not be certified to be offered in evidence. The notice of reliance shall be filed during the testimony period of the party that files the notice.
(f) Testimony from other proceedings. By order of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, on motion, testimony taken in another proceeding, or testimony taken in a suit or action in a court, between the same parties or those in privity may be used in a proceeding, so far as relevant and material, subject, however, to the right of any adverse party to recall or demand the recall for examination or cross-examination of any witness whose prior testimony has been offered and to rebut the testimony.
[48 FR 23138, May 23, 1983, as amended at 54 FR 34899, Aug. 22, 1989]
37 CFR 2.123 Trial testimony in inter partes cases.
(a)
(1) The testimony of witnesses in inter partes cases may be taken by depositions upon oral examination as provided by this section or by depositions upon written questions as provided by § 2.124. If a party serves notice of the taking of a testimonial deposition upon written questions of a witness who is, or will be at the time of the deposition, present within the United States or any territory which is under the control and jurisdiction of the United States, any adverse party may, within fifteen days from the date of service of the notice, file a motion with the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, for good cause, for an order that the deposition be taken by oral examination.
(2) A testimonial deposition taken in a foreign country shall be taken by deposition upon written questions as provided by § 2.124, unless the Board, upon motion for good cause, orders that the deposition be taken by oral examination, or the parties so stipulate.
(b) Stipulations. If the parties so stipulate in writing, depositions may be taken before any person authorized to administer oaths, at any place, upon any notice, and in any manner, and when so taken may be used like other depositions. By agreement of the parties, the testimony of any witness or witnesses of any party, may be submitted in the form of an affidavit by such witness or witnesses. The parties may stipulate what a particular witness would testify to if called, or the facts in the case of any party may be stipulated.
(c) Notice of examination of witnesses. Before the depositions of witnesses shall be taken by a party, due notice in writing shall be given to the opposing party or parties, as provided in § 2.119(b), of the time when and place where the depositions will be taken, of the cause or matter in which they are to be used, and the name and address of each witness to be examined; if the name of a witness is not known, a general description sufficient to identify the witness or the particular class or group to which the witness belongs, together with a satisfactory explanation, may be given instead. Depositions may be noticed for any reasonable time and place in the United States. A deposition may not be noticed for a place in a foreign country except as provided in paragraph (a)(2) of this section. No party shall take depositions in more than one place at the same time, nor so nearly at the same time that reasonable opportunity for travel from one place of examination to the other is not available.
(d) Persons before whom depositions may be taken. Depositions may be taken before persons designated by Rule 28 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
(e) Examination of witnesses.
(1) Each witness before testifying shall be duly sworn according to law by the officer before whom his deposition is to be taken.
(2) The deposition shall be taken in answer to questions, with the questions and answers recorded in their regular order by the officer, or by some other person (who shall be subject to the provisions of Rule 28 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure) in the presence of the officer except when the officer's presence is waived on the record by agreement of the parties. The testimony shall be taken stenographically and transcribed, unless the parties present agree otherwise. In the absence of all opposing parties and their attorneys or other authorized representatives, depositions may be taken in longhand, typewriting, or stenographically. Exhibits which are marked and identified at the deposition will be deemed to have been offered into evidence, without any formal offer thereof, unless the intention of the party marking the exhibits is clearly expressed to the contrary.
(3) Every adverse party shall have full opportunity to cross-examine each witness. If the notice of examination of witnesses which is served pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section is improper or inadequate with respect to any witness, an adverse party may cross-examine that witness under protest while reserving the right to object to the receipt of the testimony in evidence. Promptly after the testimony is completed, the adverse party, if he wishes to preserve the objection, shall move to strike the testimony from the record, which motion will be decided on the basis of all the relevant circumstances. A motion to strike the testimony of a witness for lack of proper or adequate notice of examination must request the exclusion of the entire testimony of that witness and not only a part of that testimony.
(4) All objections made at the time of the examination to the qualifications of the officer taking the deposition, or to the manner of taking it, or to the evidence presented, or to the conduct of any party, and any other objection to the proceedings, shall be noted by the officer upon the deposition. Evidence objected to shall be taken subject to the objections.
(5) When the deposition has been transcribed, the deposition shall be carefully read over by the witness or by the officer to him, and shall then be signed by the witness in the presence of any officer authorized to administer oaths unless the reading and the signature be waived on the record by agreement of all parties.
(f) Certification and filing by officer. The officer shall annex to the deposition his certificate showing:
(1) Due administration of the oath by the officer to the witness before the commencement of his deposition;
(2) The name of the person by whom the deposition was taken down, and whether, if not taken down by the officer, it was taken down in his presence;
(3) The presence or absence of the adverse party;
(4) The place, day, and hour of commencing and taking the deposition;
(5) The fact that the officer was not disqualified as specified in Rule 28 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
If any of the foregoing requirements are waived, the certificate shall so state. The officer shall sign the certificate and affix thereto his seal of office, if he has such a seal. Unless waived on the record by an agreement, he shall then, without delay, securely seal in an envelope all the evidence, notices, and paper exhibits, inscribe upon the envelope a certificate giving the number and title of the case, the name of each witness, and the date of sealing, address the package, and forward the same to the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks. If the weight or bulk of an exhibit shall exclude it from the envelope, it shall, unless waived on the record by agreement of all parties, be authenticated by the officer and transmitted in a separate package marked and addressed as provided in this section.
(g) Form of deposition.
(1) The pages of each deposition must be numbered consecutively, and the name of the witness plainly and conspicuously written at the top of each page. The deposition may be written on legal-size or letter-size paper, with a wide margin on the left-hand side of the page, and with the writing on one side only of the sheet. The questions propounded to each witness must be consecutively numbered unless paper with numbered lines is used, and each question must be followed by its answer.
(2) Exhibits must be numbered or lettered consecutively and each must be marked with the number and title of the case and the name of the party offering the exhibit. Entry and consideration may be refused to improperly marked exhibits.
(3) Each deposition must contain an index of the names of the witnesses, giving the pages where their examination and cross-examination begin, and an index of the exhibits, briefly describing their nature and giving the pages at which they are introduced and offered in evidence.
(h) Depositions must be filed. All depositions which are taken must be duly filed in the Patent and Trademark Office. On refusal to file, the Office at its discretion will not further hear or consider the contestant with whom the refusal lies; and the Office may, at its discretion, receive and consider a copy of the withheld deposition, attested by such evidence as is procurable.
(i) Inspection of depositions. After the depositions are filed in the Office, they may be inspected by any party to the case, but they cannot be withdrawn for the purpose of printing. They may be printed by someone specially designated by the Office for that purpose, under proper restrictions.
(j) Effect of errors and irregularities in depositions: Rule 32(d)(1), (2), and (3)(A) and (B) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure shall apply to errors and irregularities in depositions. Notice will not be taken of merely formal or technical objections which shall not appear to have wrought a substantial injury to the party raising them; and in case of such injury it must be made to appear that the objection was raised at the time specified in said rule.
(k) Objections to admissibility: Subject to the provisions of paragraph (j) of this section, objection may be made to receiving in evidence any deposition, or part thereof, or any other evidence, for any reason which would require the exclusion of the evidence from consideration. Objections to the competency of a witness or to the competency, relevancy, or materiality of testimony must be raised at the time specified in Rule 32(d)(3)(A) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Such objections will not be considered until final hearing.
(l) Evidence not considered. Evidence not obtained and filed in compliance with these sections will not be considered.
[27 FR 7606, Apr. 18, 1972, as amended at 41 FR 760, Jan. 5 1976; 48 FR 23139, May 23, 1983; 54 FR 34899, Aug. 22, 1989]
37 CFR 2.124 Depositions upon written questions.
(a) A deposition upon written questions may be taken before any person before whom depositions may be taken as provided by Rule 28 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
(b)
(1) A party desiring to take a testimonial deposition upon written questions shall serve notice thereof upon each adverse party within ten days from the opening date of the testimony period of the party who serves the notice. The notice shall state the name and address of the witness. A copy of the notice, but not copies of the questions, shall be filed with the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.
(2) A party desiring to take a discovery deposition upon written questions shall serve notice thereof upon each adverse party and shall file a copy of the notice, but not copies of the questions, with the Board. The notice shall state the name and address, if known, of the person whose deposition is to be taken. If the name of the person is not known, a general description sufficient to identify him or the particular class or group to which he belongs shall be stated in the notice, and the party from whom the discovery deposition is to be taken shall designate one or more persons to be deposed in the same manner as is provided by Rule 30(b)(6) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
(c) Every notice given under the provisions of paragraph (b) of this section shall be accompanied by the name or descriptive title of the officer before whom the deposition is to be taken.
(d)
(1) Every notice served on any adverse party under the provisions of paragraph (b) of this section shall be accompanied by the written questions to be propounded on behalf of the party who proposes to take the deposition. Within twenty days from the date of service of the notice, any adverse party may serve cross questions upon the party who proposes to take the deposition; any party who serves cross questions shall also serve every other adverse party. Within ten days from the date of service of the cross questions, the party who proposes to take the deposition may serve redirect questions on every adverse party. Within ten days from the date of service of the redirect questions, any party who served cross questions may serve recross questions upon the party who proposes to take the deposition; any party who serves recross questions shall also serve every other adverse party. Written objections to questions may be served on a party propounding questions; any party who objects shall serve a copy of the objections on every other adverse party. In response to objections, substitute questions may be served on the objecting party within ten days of the date of service of the objections; substitute questions shall be served on every other adverse party.
(2) Upon motion for good cause by any party, or upon its own initiative, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board may extend any of the time periods provided by paragraph (d)(1) of this section. Upon receipt of written notice that one or more testimonial depositions are to be taken upon written questions, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board shall suspend or reschedule other proceedings in the matter to allow for the orderly completion of the depositions upon written questions.
(e) Within ten days after the last date when questions, objections, or substitute questions may be served, the party who proposes to take the deposition shall mail a copy of the notice and copies of all the questions to the officer designated in the notice; a copy of the notice and of all the questions mailed to the officer shall be served on every adverse party. The officer designated in the notice shall take the testimony of the witness in response to the questions and shall record each answer immediately after the corresponding question. The officer shall then certify the transcript and mail the transcript and exhibits to the party who took the deposition.
(f) The party who took the deposition shall promptly serve a copy of the transcript, copies of documentary exhibits, and duplicates or photographs of physical exhibits on every adverse party. It is the responsibility of the party who takes the deposition to assure that the transcript is correct (see § 2.125(b)) If the deposition is a discovery deposition, it may be made of record as provided by § 2.120(j). If the deposition is a testimonial deposition, the original, together with copies of documentary exhibits and duplicates or photographs of physical exhibits, shall be filed promptly with the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.
(g) Objections to questions and answers in depositions upon written questions may be considered at final hearing.
[48 FR 23139, May 23, 1983]
37 CFR 2.125 Filing and service of testimony.
(a) One copy of the transcript of testimony taken in accordance with § 2.123, together with copies of documentary exhibits and duplicates or photographs of physical exhibits, shall be served on each adverse party within thirty days after completion of the taking of that testimony. If the transcript with exhibits is not served on each adverse party within thirty days or within an extension of time for the purpose, any adverse party which was not served may have remedy by way of a motion to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board to reset such adverse party's testimony and/or briefing periods, as may be appropriate. If the deposing party fails to serve a copy of the transcript with exhibits on an adverse party after having been ordered to do so by the Board, the Board, in its discretion, may strike the deposition, or enter judgment as by default against the deposing party, or take any such other action as may be deemed appropriate.
(b) The party who takes testimony is responsible for having all typographical errors in the transcript and all errors of arrangement, indexing and form of the transcript corrected, on notice to each adverse party, prior to the filing of one certified transcript with the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. The party who takes testimony is responsible for serving on each adverse party one copy of the corrected transcript or, if reasonably feasible, corrected pages to be inserted into the transcript previously served.
(c) One certified transcript and exhibits shall be filed promptly with the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Notice of such filing shall be served on each adverse party and a copy of each notice shall be filed with the Board.
(d) Each transcript shall comply with § 2.123(g) with respect to arrangement, indexing and form.
(e) Upon motion by any party, for good cause, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board may order that any part of a deposition transcript or any exhibits that directly disclose any trade secret or other confidential research, development, or commercial information may be filed under seal and kept confidential under the provisions of § 2.27(e). If any party or any attorney or agent of a party fails to comply with an order made under this paragraph, the Board may impose any of the sanctions authorized by § 2.120(g).
[48 FR 23410, May 23, 1983, as amended at 54 FR 34900, Aug. 22, 1989]
37 CFR 2.126 [Reserved]
37 CFR 2.127 Motions.
(a) Every motion shall be made in writing, shall contain a full statement of the grounds, and shall embody or be accompanied by a brief. A brief in response to a motion shall be filed within fifteen days from the date of service of the motion unless another time is specified by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board or the time is extended by order of the Board on motion for good cause. When a party fails to file a brief in response to a motion, the Board may treat the motion as conceded. An oral hearing will not be held on a motion except on order by the Board.
(b) Any request for reconsideration or modification of an order or decision issued on a motion must be filed within thirty days from the date thereof. A brief in response must be filed within fifteen days from the date of service of the request.
(c) Interlocutory motions, requests, and other matters not actually or potentially dispositive of a proceeding may be acted upon by a single Member of the Trademark Trail and Appeal Board or by an Attorney-Examiner of the Board to whom authority so to act has been delegated.
(d) When any party files a motion to dismiss, or a motion for judgment on the pleadings, or a motion for summary judgment, or any other motion which is potentially dispositive of a proceeding, the case will be suspended by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board with respect to all matters not germane to the motion and no party should file any paper which is not germane to the motion. If the case is not disposed of as a result of the motion, proceedings will be resumed pursuant to an order of the Board when the motion is decided.
(e)
(1) A motion for summary judgment should be filed prior to the commencement of the first testimony period, as originally set or as reset, and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, in its discretion, may deny as untimely any motion for summary judgment filed thereafter.
(2) For purposes of summary judgment only, a discovery deposition, or an answer to an interrogatory, or a document or thing produced in response to a request for production, or an admission to a request for admission, will be considered by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board if any party files, with the party's brief on the summary judgment motion, the deposition or any part thereof with any exhibit to the part that is filed, or a copy of the interrogatory and answer thereto with any exhibit made part of the answer, or a copy of the request for production and the documents or things produced in response thereto, or a copy of the request for admission and any exhibit thereto and the admission (or a statement that the party from which an admission was requested failed to respond thereto).
(f) The Board does not have authority to hold any person in contempt, or to award attorneys' fees or other expenses to any party.
[48 FR 23140, May 23, 1983, as amended at 54 FR 34900, Aug. 22, 1989]
37 CFR 2.128 Briefs at final hearing.
(a)
(1) The brief of the party in the position of plaintiff shall be due not later than sixty days after the date set for the close of rebuttal testimony. The brief of the party in the position of defendant, if filed, shall be due not later than thirty days after the due date of the first brief. A reply brief by the party in the position of plaintiff, if filed, shall be due not later than fifteen days after the due date of the defendant's brief.
(2) When there is a counterclaim, or when proceedings have been consolidated and one party is in the position of plaintiff in one of the involved proceedings and in the position of defendant in another of the involved proceedings, or when there is an interference or a concurrent use registration proceeding involving more than two parties, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board will set the due dates for the filing of the main brief, and the answering brief, and the rebuttal brief by the parties.
(3) When a party in the position of plaintiff fails to file a main brief, an order may be issued allowing plaintiff until a set time, not less than fifteen days, in which to show cause why the Board should not treat such failure as a concession of the case. If plaintiff fails to file a response to the order, or files a response indicating that he has lost interest in the case, judgment may be entered against plaintiff.
(b) Briefs shall be submitted in typewritten or printed form, double spaced, in at least pica or eleven-point type, on letter-size paper. Each brief shall contain an alphabetical index of cases cited therein. Without prior leave of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, a main brief on the case shall not exceed fifty-five pages in length in its entirety, including the table of contents, index of cases, description of the record, statement of the issues, recitation of facts, argument, and summary; and a reply brief shall not exceed twenty-five pages in its entirety. Three legible copies, on good quality paper, of each brief shall be filed.
[48 FR 23140, May 23, 1983; 48 FR 27226, June 14, 1983, as amended at 54 34900, Aug. 22, 1989]
37 CFR 2.129 Oral argument; reconsideration.
(a) If a party desires to have an oral argument at final hearing, the party shall request such argument by a separate notice filed not later than ten days after the due date for the filing of the last reply brief in the proceeding. Oral arguments will be heard by at least three Members of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board at the time specified in the notice of hearing. If any party appears at the specified time, that party will be heard. If the Board is prevented from hearing the case at the specified time, a new hearing date will be set. Unless otherwise permitted, oral arguments in an inter partes case will be limited to thirty minutes for each party. A party in the position of plaintiff may reserve part of the time allowed for oral argument to present a rebuttal argument.
(b) The date or time of a hearing may be reset, so far as is convenient and proper, to meet the wishes of the parties and their attorneys or other authorized representatives.
(c) Any request for rehearing or reconsideration or modification of a decision issued after final hearing must be filed within one month from the date of the decision. A brief in response must be filed within fifteen days frown the date of service of the request. The times specified may be extended by order of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board on motion for good cause.
(d) When a party to an inter partes proceeding before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board cannot prevail without establishing constructive use pursuant to § 7(c) of the Act in an application under § 1(b) of the Act, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board will enter a judgment in favor of that party, subject to the party's establishment of constructive use. The time for filing an appeal or for commencing a civil action under § 21 of the Act shall run from the date of the entry of the judgment.
[48 FR 23141, May 23, 1983, as amended at 54 FR 29554, July 13, 1989; 54 FR 34900, Aug. 22, 1989; 54 FR 37597, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.130 New matter suggested by Examiner of Trademarks.
If, during the pendency of an inter partes case, facts appear which, in the opinion of the Examiner of Trademarks, render the mark of any applicant involved unregistrable, the attention of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board shall be called thereto. The Board may suspend the proceeding and refer the application to the Examiner of Trademarks for his determination of the question of registrability, following the final determination of which the application shall be returned to the Board for such further inter partes action as may be appropriate. The consideration of such facts by the Examiner of Trademarks shall be ex parte, but a copy of the action of the examiner will be furnished to the parties to the inter partes proceeding.
37 CFR 2.131 Remand after decision in inter partes proceeding.
If, during an inter partes proceeding, facts are disclosed which appear to render the mark of an applicant unregistrable, but such matter has not been tried under the pleadings as filed by the parties or as they might be deemed to be amended under Rule 15(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to conform to the evidence, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, in lieu of determining the matter in the decision on the proceeding, may refer the application to the examiner for reexamination in the event the applicant ultimately prevails in the inter partes proceeding. Upon receiving the application, the examiner shall withhold registration pending reexamination of the application in the light of the reference by the Board. If, upon reexamination, the examiner finally refuses registration to the applicant, an appeal may be taken as provided by §§ 2.141 and 2.142.
[48 FR 23141, May 23, 1983]
37 CFR 2.132 Involuntary dismissal for failure to take testimony.
(a) If the time for taking testimony by any party in the position of plaintiff has expired and that party has not taken testimony or offered any other evidence, any party in the position of defendant may, without waiving the right to offer evidence in the event the motion is denied, move for dismissal on the ground of the failure of the plaintiff to prosecute. The party in the position of plaintiff shall have fifteen days from the date of service of the motion to show cause why judgment should not be rendered against him. In the absence of a showing of good and sufficient cause, judgment may be rendered against the party in the position of plaintiff. If the motion is denied, testimony periods will be reset for the party in the position of defendant and for rebuttal.
(b) If no evidence other than a copy or copies of Patent and Trademark Office records is offered by any party in the position of plaintiff, any party in the position of defendant may, without waiving the right to offer evidence in the event the motion is denied, move for dismissal on the ground that upon the law and the facts the party in the position of plaintiff has shown no right to relief. The party in the position of plaintiff shall have fifteen days from the date of service of the motion to file a brief in response to the motion. The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board may render judgment against the party in the position of plaintiff, or the Board may decline to render judgment until all of the evidence is in the record. If judgment is not rendered, testimony periods will be reset for the party in the position of defendant and for rebuttal.
(c) A motion filed under paragraph (a) or (b) of this section must be filed before the opening of the testimony period of the moving party, except that the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board may in its discretion grant a motion under paragraph (a) even if the motion was filed after the opening of the testimony period of the moving party.
[48 FR 23141, May 23, 1983, as amended at 51 FR 28710, Aug. 11, 1986]
37 CFR 2.133 Amendment of application or registration during proceedings.
(a) An application involved in a proceeding may not be amended in substance nor may a registration be amended or disclaimed in part, except with the consent of the other party or parties and the approval of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, or except upon motion.
(b) If, in an inter partes proceeding, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board finds that a party whose application or registration is the subject of the proceeding is not entitled to registration in the absence of a specified restriction to the involved application or registration, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board will allow the party time in which to file a request that the application or registration be amended to conform to the findings of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, failing which judgment will be entered against the party.
(c) Geographic limitations will be considered and determined by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board only in the context of a concurrent use registration proceeding.
(d) A plaintiffs pleaded registration will not be restricted in the absence of a counterclaim to cancel the registration in whole or in part, except that a counterclaim need not be filed if the registration is the subject of another proceeding between the same parties or anyone in privity therewith.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 54 FR 37597, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR. 2.134 Surrender or voluntary cancellation of registration.
(a) After the commencement of a cancellation proceeding, if the respondent applies for cancellation of the involved registration under § 7(d) of the Act of 1946 without the written consent of every adverse party to the proceeding, judgment shall be entered against the respondent. The written consent of an adverse party may be signed by the adverse party or by the adverse party's attorney or other authorized representative.
(b) After the commencement of a cancellation proceeding, if it comes to the attention of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board that the respondent has permitted his involved registration to be cancelled under § 8 of the Act of 1946 or has failed to renew his involved registration under § 9 of the Act of 1946, an order may be issued allowing respondent until a set time, not less than fifteen days, in which to show cause why such cancellation or failure to renew should not be deemed to be the equivalent of a cancellation by request of respondent without the consent of the adverse party and should not result in entry of judgment against respondent as provided by paragraph (a) of this section. In the absence of a showing of good and sufficient cause, judgment may be entered against respondent as provided by paragraph (a) of this section.
[48 FR 23141, May 23, 1983, as amended at 54 FR 34900, Aug. 22, 1989]
37 CFR 2.135 Abandonment of application or mark.
After the commencement of an opposition, concurrent use, or interference proceeding, if the applicant files a written abandonment of the application or of the mark without the written consent of every adverse party to the proceeding, judgment shall be entered against the applicant. The written consent of an adverse party may be signed by the adverse party or by the adverse party's attorney or other authorized representative.
[48 FR 23141, May 23, 1983, as amended at 54 FR 34900, Aug. 22, 1989]
37 CFR 2.136 Status of application on termination of proceeding.
On termination of a proceeding involving an application, the application, if the judgment is not adverse, returns to the status it had before the institution of the proceedings. If the judgment is adverse to the applicant, the application stands refused without further action and all proceedings thereon are considered terminated.
APPEALS
37 CFR 2.141 Ex parte appeals from the Examiner of Trademarks.
Every applicant for the registration of a mark may, upon final refusal by the Examiner of Trademarks, appeal to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board upon payment of the prescribed fee for each class in the application for which an appeal is taken. An appeal which includes insufficient fees to cover all classes in the application should specify the particular class or classes in which an appeal is taken. A second refusal on the same grounds may be considered as final by the applicant for purpose of appeal.
[41 FR 760, Jan. 5, 1976]
37 CFR 2.142 Time and manner of ex parte appeals.
(a) Any appeal filed under the provisions of § 2.141 must be filed within six months from the date of final refusal or the date of the action from which the appeal is taken. An appeal is taken by filing a notice of appeal and paying the appeal fee.
(b)
(1) The brief of appellant shall be filed within sixty days from the date of appeal. If the brief is not filed within the time allowed, the appeal may be dismissed. The examiner shall, within sixty days after the brief of appellant is sent to the examiner, file with the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board a written brief answering the brief of appellant and shall mail a copy of the brief to the appellant. The appellant may file a reply brief within twenty days from the date of mailing of the brief of the examiner.
(2) Briefs shall be submitted in typewritten or printed form, double spaced, in at least pica or eleven-point type, on letter-size paper. Without prior leave of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, a brief shall not exceed twenty-five pages in length in its entirety.
(c) All requirements made by the examiner and not the subject of appeal shall be complied with prior to the filing of an appeal.
(d) The record in the application should be complete prior to the filing of an appeal. The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board will ordinarily not consider additional evidence filed with the Board by the appellant or by the examiner after the appeal is filed. After an appeal is filed, if the appellant or the examiner desires to introduce additional evidence, the appellant or the examiner may request the Board to suspend the appeal and to remand the application for further examination.
(e)
(1) If the appellant desires an oral hearing, a request therefor should be made by a separate notice filed not later than ten days after the due date for a reply brief. Oral argument will be heard by at least three Members of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board at the time specified in the notice of hearing, which may be reset if the Board is prevented from hearing the argument at the specified time or, so far as is convenient and proper, to meet the wish of the appellant or his attorney or other authorized representative.
(2) If the appellant requests an oral argument, the examiner who issued the refusal of registration or the requirement from which the appeal is taken, or in lieu thereof another examiner from the same examining division as designated by the supervisory attorney thereof, shall present an oral argument. If no request for an oral hearing is made by the appellant, the appeal will be decided on the record and briefs.
(3) Oral argument will be limited to twenty minutes by the appellant and ten minutes by the examiner. The appellant may reserve part of the time allowed for oral argument to present a rebuttal argument.
(f)
(1) If, during an appeal from a refusal of registration, it appears to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board that an issue not previously raised may render the mark of the appellant unregistrable, the Board may suspend the appeal and remand the application to the examiner for further examination to be completed within thirty days.
(2) If the further examination does not result in an additional ground for refusal of registration, the examiner shall promptly return the application to the Board, for resumption of the appeal, with a written statement that further examination did not result in an additional ground for refusal of registration.
(3) If the further examination does result in an additional ground for refusal of registration, the examiner and appellant shall proceed as provided by §§ 2.61, 2.62, 2.63 and 2.64. If the ground for refusal is made final, the examiner shall return the application to the Board, which shall thereupon issue an order allowing the appellant sixty days from the date of the order to file a supplemental brief limited to the additional ground for the refusal of registration. If the supplemental brief is not filed by the appellant within the time allowed, the appeal may be dismissed.
(4) If the supplemental brief of the appellant is filed, the examiner shall, within sixty days after the supplemental brief of the appellant is sent to the examiner, file with the Board a written brief answering the supplemental brief of appellant and shall mail a copy of the brief to the appellant. The appellant may file a reply brief within twenty days from the date of mailing of the brief of the examiner.
(5) If an oral hearing on the appeal had been requested prior to the remand of the application but not yet held, an oral hearing will be set and heard as provided in paragraph (e) of this section. If an oral hearing had been held prior to the remand or had not been previously requested by the appellant, an oral hearing may be requested by the appellant by a separate notice filed not later than ten days after the due date for a reply brief on the additional ground for refusal of registration. If the appellant files a request for an oral hearing, one will be set and heard as provided in paragraph (e) of this section.
(6) If, during an appeal from a refusal of registration, it appears to the examiner that an issue not involved in the appeal may render the mark of the appellant unregistrable, the examiner may, by written request, ask the Board to suspend the appeal and to remand the application to the examiner for further examination. If the request is granted, the examiner and appellant shall proceed as provided by §§ 2.61, 2.62, 2.63 and 2.64. After the additional ground for refusal of registration has been withdrawn or made final, the examiner shall return the application to the Board, which shall resume proceedings in the appeal and take further appropriate action with respect thereto.
(g) An application which has been considered and decided on appeal will not be reopened except for the entry of a disclaimer under § 6 of the Act of 1946 or upon order of the Commissioner, but a petition to the Commissioner to reopen an application will be considered only upon a showing of sufficient cause for consideration of any matter not already adjudicated.
[48 FR 23141, May 23, 1983, as amended at 54 FR 34901, Aug. 22, 1989]
37 CFR 2.144 Reconsideration of decision on ex parte appeal.
Any request for rehearing or reconsideration, or modification of the decision, must be filed within one month from the date of the decision. Such time may be extended by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board upon a showing of sufficient cause.
[41 FR 760, Jan. 5. 1976, as amended at 54FR 29554, July 13, 1989]
37 CFR 2.145 Appeal to court and civil action.
(a) Appeal to U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. An applicant for registration, or any party to an interference, opposition, or cancellation proceeding or any party to an application to register as a concurrent user, hereinafter referred to as inter partes proceedings, who is dissatisfied with the decision of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and any registrant who has filed an affidavit or declaration under § 8 of the Act or who has filed an application for renewal and is dissatisfied with the decision of the Commissioner (§§ 2.165, 2.184), may appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. The appellant must take the following steps in such an appeal:
(1) In the Patent and Trademark Office give written notice of appeal to the Commissioner (see paragraphs (b) and (d) of this section);
(2) In the court, file a copy of the notice of appeal and pay the fee for appeal, as provided by the rules of the Court.
(b) Notice of appeal.
(1) When an appeal is taken to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the appellant shall give notice thereof in writing to the Commissioner, which notice shall be filed in the Patent and Trademark Office, within the time specified in paragraph (d) of this section. The notice shall specify the party or parties taking the appeal and shall designate the decision or part thereof appealed from.
(2) In inter partes proceedings, the notice must be served as provided in § 2.119.
(3) The notice, if mailed to the Office, shall be addressed as follows: Box 8, Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks, Washington, DC 20231.
(c) Civil action.
(1) Any person who may appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (paragraph (a) of this section), may have remedy by civil action under § 21(b) of the Act. Such civil action must be commenced within the time specified in paragraph (d) of this section.
(2) Any applicant or registrant in an ex parte case who takes an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit waives any right to proceed under § 21(b) of the Act.
(3) Any adverse party to an appeal taken to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit by a defeated party in an inter partes proceeding may file a notice with the Commissioner within twenty days after the filing of the defeated party's notice of appeal to the court (paragraph (b) of this section), electing to have all further proceedings conducted as provided in § 21(b) of the Act. The notice of election must be served as provided in § 2.119.
(4) A party to a proceeding before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board which commences a civil action, pursuant to § 21(b) of the Act, seeking review of a decision of the Board should file written notice thereof in the Patent and Trademark Office, addressed to the Board, within one month after the expiration of the time for appeal or civil action, in order to avoid premature termination of the Board proceeding.
(d) Time for appeal or civil action.
(1) The time for filing the notice of appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (paragraph (b) of this section), or for commencing a civil action (paragraph (c) of this section), is two months from the date of the decision of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board or the Commissioner, as the case may be. If a request for rehearing or reconsideration or modification of the decision is filed within the time specified in §§ 2.127(b), 2.129(c) or 2.144, or within any extension of time granted thereunder, the time for filing an appeal or commencing a civil action shall expire two months after action on the request. In inter partes cases, the time for filing a cross-action or a notice of a cross-appeal expires
(i) 14 days after service of the notice of appeal or the summons and complaint or
(ii) two months from the date of the decision of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board or the Commissioner, whichever is later.
The certificate of mailing practice of § 1.8 is not available for filing a notice of appeal or cross-appeal. See § 1.8(a)(2)(ix).
(2) The times specified in this section in days are calendar days. The times specified herein in months are calendar months except that one day shall be added to any two-month period which includes February 28. If the last day of time specified for an appeal, or commencing a civil action falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Federal holiday in the District of Columbia, the time is extended to the next day which is neither a Saturday, Sunday nor a Federal holiday.
(3) If a party to an inter partes proceeding has taken an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and an adverse party has filed notice under § 21(a)(1) of the Act electing to have all further proceedings conducted under § 21(b) of the Act, the time for filing a civil action thereafter is specified in § 21(a)(1) of the Act. The time for filing a cross-action expires 14 days after service of the summons and complaint.
(e) Extensions of time to commence judicial review. The Commissioner may extend the time for filing an appeal or commencing a civil action
(1) for good cause shown if requested in writing before the expiration of the period for filing an appeal or commencing a civil action, or
(2) upon written request after the expiration of the period for filing an appeal or commencing a civil action upon a showing that the failure to act was the result of excusable neglect.
[47 FR 47382, Oct. 26, 1982, as amended at 51 FR 28710, Aug. 11, 1986; 53 FR 16414, May 9, 1988; 54 FR 29554, July 13, 1989; 54 FR 34901, Aug. 22, 1989; 58 FR 54503, Oct. 22, 1993]
PETITIONS AND ACTION BY THE COMMISSIONER
37 CFR 2.146 Petitions to the Commissioner.
(a) Petition may be taken to the Commissioner:
(1) From any repeated or final formal requirement of the examiner in the ex parte prosecution of an application if permitted by § 2.63(b);
(3) to invoke the supervisory authority of the Commissioner in appropriate circumstances;
(5) in an extraordinary situation, when justice requires and no other party is injured thereby, to request a suspension or waiver of any requirement of the rules not being a requirement of the Act of 1946.
(b) Questions of substance arising during the ex parte prosecution of applications, including, but not limited to, questions arising under §§ 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 23 of the Act of 1946, are not considered to be appropriate subject matter for petitions to the Commissioner.
(c) Every petition to the Commissioner shall include a statement of the facts relevant to the petition, the points to be reviewed, the action or relief that is requested, and the requisite fee (see § 2.6). Any brief in support of the petition shall be embodied in or accompany the petition. When facts are to be proved in ex parte cases (as in a petition to revive an abandoned application), the proof in the form of affidavits or declarations in accordance with § 2.20, and any exhibits, shall accompany the petition.
(d) A petition on any matter not otherwise specifically provided for shall be filed within sixty days from the date of mailing of the action from which relief is requested.
(e)
(1) A petition from the denial of a request for an extension of time to file a notice of opposition shall be filed within fifteen days from the date of mailing of the denial of the request and shall be served on the attorney or other authorized representative of the applicant, if any, or on the applicant. Proof of service of the petition shall be made as provided by § 2.119(a). The applicant may file a response within fifteen days from the date of service of the petition and shall serve a copy of the response on the petitioner, with proof of service as provided by § 2.119(a). No further paper relating to the petition shall be filed.
(2) A petition from an interlocutory order of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board shall be filed within thirty days after the date of mailing of the order from which relief is requested. Any brief in response to the petition shall be filed, with any supporting exhibits, within fifteen days from the date of service of the petition. Petitions and responses to petitions, and any papers accompanying a petition or response, under this subsection shall be served on every adverse party pursuant to § 2.119(a).
(f) An oral hearing will not be held on a petition except when considered necessary by the Commissioner.
(g) The mere filing of a petition to the Commissioner will not act as a stay in any appeal or inter partes proceeding that is pending before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board nor stay the period for replying to an Office action in an application except when a stay is specifically requested and is granted or when §§ 2.63(b) and 2.65 are applicable to an ex parte application.
(h) Authority to act on petitions, or on any petition, may be delegated by the Commissioner.
[48 FR 23142, May 23, 1983; 48 FR 27226, June 14, 1983]
37 CFR 2.147 [Reserved]
37 CFR. 2.148 Commissioner may suspend certain rules.
In an extraordinary situation, when justice requires and no other party is injured thereby, any requirement of the rules in this part not being a requirement of the statute may be suspended or waived by the Commissioner.
CERTIFICATE
37 CFR 2.151 Certificate.
When the requirements of the law and of the rules have been complied with, and the Patent and Trademark Office has adjudged a mark registrable, a certificate will be issued to the effect that the applicant has complied with the law and that he is entitled to registration of his mark on the Principal Register or on the Supplemental Register, as the case may be. The certificate will state the date on which the application for registration was filed in the Patent and Trademark Office, the act under which the mark is registered, the date of issue and the number of the certificate. Attached to the certificate and forming a part thereof will be a reproduction of the mark and pertinent data from the application. A notice of the affidavit or declaration requirements of § 8(a) of the Act (§ 2.161) will be printed on the certificate. PUBLICATION OF MARKS REGISTERED UNDER 1905 ACT
Authority: Sections 2.153 to 2.156 also issued under § 12, 60 Stat. 432; 15 U.S.C. 1062.
37 CFR 2.153 Publication requirements.
A registrant of a mark registered under the provisions of the Acts of 1881 or 1905 may at any time prior to the expiration of the period for which the registration was issued or renewed, upon the payment of the prescribed fee, file an affidavit or declaration in accordance with § 2.20 setting forth those goods stated in the registration on which said mark is in use in commerce, specifying the nature of such commerce, and stating that the registrant claims the benefits of the Trademark Act of 1946.
[31 FR 5262, Apr. 1, 1966]
37 CFR 2.154 Publication in Official Gazette.
A notice of the claim of benefits under the Act of 1946 and a reproduction of the mark will then be published in the Official Gazette as soon as practicable. The published mark will retain its original registration number.
37 CFR 2.155 Notice of publication.
A notice of such publication of the mark and of the requirement for the affidavit or declaration specified in § 8(b) of the Act (§ 2.161) will be sent to the registrant.
37 CFR 2.156 Not subject to opposition; subject to cancellation.
The published mark is not subject to opposition on such publication in the Official Gazette, but is subject to petitions to cancel as specified in § 2.111 and to cancellation for failure to file the affidavit or declaration specified in § 2.161. REREGISTRATION OF MARKS REGISTERED
UNDER PRIOR ACTS
37 CFR 2.158 Reregistration of marks registered under Acts of 1881, 1905, and 1920.
Trademarks registered under the Act of 1881, the Act of 1905 or the Act of 1920 may be reregistered under the Act of 1946, either on the Principal Register, if eligible, or on the Supplemental Register, but a new complete application for registration must be filed complying with the rules relating thereto, and such application will be subject to examination and other proceedings in the same manner as other applications filed under the Act of 1946. See § 2.26 for use of old drawing. CANCELLATION FOR FAILURE TO FILE AFFIDAVIT
OR DECLARATION DURING SIXTH YEAR
Authority: Sections 2.161 to 2.165 also issued under § 8, 60 Stat. 431; 15 U.S.C. 1058.
37 CFR 2.161 Cancellation for failure to file affidavit or declaration during sixth year.
Any registration under the provisions of the Act and any registration published under the provisions of § 12(c) of the Act (§ 2.153) shall be cancelled as to any goods or services recited in the registration at the end of six years following the date of registration or the date of such publication, unless within one year next preceding the expiration of such six years the registrant shall file in the Patent and Trademark Office an affidavit or declaration in accordance with § 2.20 setting forth those goods or services recited in the registration on or in connection with which the mark is in use in commerce and attaching a specimen or facsimile showing current use of the mark, or an affidavit or declaration under § 2.20 showing that its nonuse as to any goods or services recited in the registration is due to special circumstances which excuse such nonuse and is not due to any intention to abandon the mark as to those goods or services.
[48 FR 3977, Jan. 28, 1983, as amended at 54 FR 37597, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.162 Requirements for affidavit or declaration during sixth year.
The affidavit or declaration required by § 2.161 must:
(a) Be executed by the registrant after expiration of the five-year period following the date of registration or of publication under § 12(c) of the Act;
(b) Be filed in the Patent and Trademark Office before the expiration of the sixth year following the date of registration or of publication under § 12(c) of the Act;
(c) Identify the certificate of registration by the registration number and date of registration;
(d) Include the required fee for each class to which the affidavit or declaration pertains in the registration. If no fee, or a fee insufficient to cover at least one class, is filed before the expiration of the sixth year following the date of registration or of publication under § 12(c) of the Act, the affidavit or declaration will not be refused if the required fee(s) (See § 2.6) are filed in the Patent and Trademark Office within the time limit set forth in the notification of this defect by the Office. If insufficient fees are included to cover all classes in the registration, the particular class or classes to which the affidavit or declaration pertains should be specified.
(e) State that the registered mark is in use in commerce, list the goods or services recited in the registration on or in connection with which the mark is in use in commerce, and specify the nature of such commerce (except under paragraph (f) of this section). The statement must be accompanied by a specimen or facsimile, for each class of goods or services, showing current use of the mark. If the specimen or facsimile is found to be deficient, a substitute specimen or facsimile may be submitted and considered even though filed after the sixth year has expired, provided it is supported by an affidavit or declaration pursuant to § 2.20 verifying that the specimen or facsimile was in use in commerce prior to the expiration of the sixth year;
(f) If the registered mark is not in use in commerce on or in connection with the goods or services recited in the registration, recite facts to show that nonuse as to those goods or services is due to special circumstances which excuse such nonuse and is not due to any intention to abandon the mark as to those goods or services. If the facts recited are found insufficient, further evidence or explanation may be submitted and considered even though filed after the sixth year has expired; and
(g) Contain the statement of use in commerce or statement as to nonuse and appropriate specimen or facsimile, as required in paragraphs (e) and (f) of this section, for each class to which the affidavit or declaration pertains in this registration.
[41 FR 761, Jan. 5, 1976, as amended at 47 FR 41282, Sept. 17, 1982; 48 FR 3977, Jan. 28, 1983; 54 FR 37597, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.163 Notice to registrant.
If no affidavit or declaration is filed within a reasonable time prior to expiration of the sixth year, the registrant may be notified that the registration will be cancelled by the Commissioner at the end of such sixth year unless the owner files in the Patent and Trademark Office the affidavit or declaration of use or excusable nonuse required by § 8. Failure to notify the registrant does not, however, relieve the registrant of the responsibility of filing the affidavit or declaration within the period required by statute.
37 CFR 2.164 Acknowledgment of receipt of affidavit or declaration.
The registrant will be notified by the Examiner of Trademarks of the receipt of the affidavit or declaration and, if satisfactory, of its acceptance.
37 CFR 2.165 Reconsideration of affidavit or declaration.
(a)
(1) If the affidavit or declaration filed pursuant to § 2.162 is insufficient or defective, the affidavit or declaration will be refused and the registrant will be notified of the reason. Reconsideration of the refusal may be requested within six months from the date of the mailing of the action. The request for reconsideration must state the grounds for the request. A supplemental or substitute affidavit or declaration required by § 8 of the Act of 1946 cannot be considered unless it is filed before the expiration of six years from the date of the registration or from the date of publication under § 12(c) of the Act. The "Certificate of Mailing or Transmission" procedure provided by § 1.8 does not apply to affidavits or declarations or to supplemental or substitute affidavits or declarations filed under § 8(a) or (b) of the Act, but the certificate of mailing by "Express Mail" procedure provided by § 1.10 does apply thereto.
(2) A request for reconsideration shall be a condition precedent to a petition to the Commissioner to review the refusal of the affidavit or declaration unless the first action refusing the affidavit or declaration directs the registrant to petition the Commissioner for relief, in which event the petition must be filed within six months from the date of mailing of the action.
(b) If the refusal of the affidavit or declaration is adhered to, the registrant may petition the Commissioner to review the action under § 2.146(a)(2). The petition to the Commissioner requesting review of the action adhering to the refusal of the affidavit or declaration must be filed within six months from the date of mailing of the action which denied reconsideration.
(c) The decision of the Commissioner on the petition will constitute the final action of the Patent and Trademark Office. If there is no petition to the Commissioner, the Commissioner will notify the registrant of the refusal of the affidavit or declaration after the expiration of six years from the date of registration or from the date of publication under § 12(c) of the Act of 1946, and such notice will constitute the final action of the Office.
(d) A petition to the Commissioner for review of the action shall be a condition precedent to an appeal to or action for review by any court.
[48 FR 23143, May 23, 1983, as amended at 58 FR 54503, Oct. 22, 1993]
37 CFR 2.166 Time of cancellation.
If no affidavit or declaration is filed within the sixth year following registration or publication under § 12(c) of the Act, the registration will be cancelled forthwith by the Commissioner. If the affidavit or declaration is filed but is refused, cancellation of the registration will be withheld pending further proceedings. AFFIDAVIT OR DECLARATION UNDER § 15
37 CFR 2.167 Affidavit or declaration under § 15.
The affidavit or declaration in accordance with § 2.20 provided by § 15 of the Act for acquiring incontestability for a mark registered on the Principal Register or a mark registered under the Act of 1881 or 1905 and published under § 12(c) of the Act (§ 2.153) must:
(a) Be signed by the registrant;
(b) Identify the certificate of registration by the certificate number and date of registration;
(c) Recite the goods or services stated in the registration on or in connection with which the mark has been in continuous use in commerce for a period of five years subsequent to the date of registration or date of publication under § 12(c) of the Act, and is still in use in commerce, specifying the nature of such commerce;
(d) Specify that there has been no final decision adverse to registrant's claim of ownership of such mark for such goods or services, or to registrant's right to register the same or to keep the same on the register;
(e) Specify that there is no proceeding involving said rights pending in the Patent and Trademark Office or in a court and not finally disposed of;
(f) Be filed within one year after the expiration of any five-year period of continuous use following registration or publication under § 12(c).
The registrant will be notified of the receipt of the affidavit or declaration.
(g) Include the required fee for each class to which the affidavit or declaration pertains in the registration. If no fee, or a fee insufficient to cover at least one class, is filed at an appropriate time, the affidavit or declaration will not be refused if the required fee(s) (See § 2.6) are filed in the Patent and Trademark Office within the time limit set forth in the notification of this defect by the Office. If insufficient fees are included to cover all classes in the registration, the particular class or classes to which the affidavit or declaration pertains should be specified.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 47 FR 41282, Sept. 17, 1982]
37 CFR 2.168 Combined with other affidavits or declarations.
(a) The affidavit or declaration filed under § 15 of the Act may also be used as the affidavit or declaration required by § 8, provided it also complies with the requirements and is filed within the time limit specified in §§ 2.161 and 2.162.
(b) In appropriate circumstances the affidavit or declaration filed under § 15 of the Act may be combined with the affidavit or declaration required for renewal of a registration (see § 2.183). CORRECTION, DISCLAIMER, SURRENDER, ETC.
37 CFR 2.171 New certificate on change of ownership.
In case of change of ownership of a registered mark, upon request of the assignee, a new certificate of registration may be issued in the name of the assignee for the unexpired part of the original period. The assignment must be recorded in the Patent and Trademark Office, and the request for the new certificate must be signed by the assignee and accompanied by the required fee. The original certificate of registration, if available, must also be submitted.
[31 FR 5262, Apr. 1, 1966]
37 CFR 2.172 Surrender for cancellation.
Upon application by the registrant, the Commissioner may permit any registration to be surrendered for cancellation. Application for such action must be signed by the registrant and must be accompanied by the original certificate of registration, if not lost or destroyed. When there is more than one class in a registration, one or more entire class but less than the total number of classes may be surrendered as to the specified class or classes. Deletion of less than all of the goods or services in a single class constitutes amendment of registration as to that class (see § 2.173).
[41 FR 761, Jan. 5, 1976]
37 CFR 2.173 Amendment and disclaimer in part.
(a) Upon application by the registrant, the Commissioner may permit any registration to be amended or any registered mark to be disclaimed in part. Application for such action must specify the amendment or disclaimer and be signed by the registrant and verified or include a declaration in accordance with § 2.20, and must be accompanied by the required fee. If the amendment involves a change in the mark, new specimens showing the mark as used in connection with the goods or services, and a new drawing of the amended mark must be submitted. The certificate of registration or, if said certificate is lost or destroyed, a certified copy thereof, must also be submitted in order that the Commissioner may make appropriate entry thereon and in the records of the Office. The registration when so amended must still contain registrable matter and the mark as amended must be registrable as a whole, and such amendment or disclaimer must not involve such changes in the registration as to alter materially the character of the mark.
(b) No amendment in the identification of goods or services in a registration will be permitted except to restrict the identification or otherwise to change it in ways that would not require republication of the mark. No amendment seeking the elimination of a disclaimer will be permitted.
(c) A printed copy of the amendment or disclaimer shall be attached to each printed copy of the registration.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 31 FR 5262, Apr. 1, 1966; 48 FR 23141, May 23, 1983]
37 CFR 2.174 Correction of Office mistake.
Whenever a material mistake in a registration, incurred through the fault of the Patent and Trademark Office, is clearly disclosed by the records of the Office, a certificate stating the fact and nature of such mistake, signed by the Commissioner or by an employee designated by the Commissioner and sealed with the seal of the Patent and Trademark Office, shall be issued without charge and recorded, and a printed copy thereof shall be attached to each printed copy of the registration certificate. Such corrected certificate shall thereafter have the same effect as if the same had been originally issued in such corrected form, or in the discretion of the Commissioner a new certificate of registration may be issued without charge. The certificate of registration or, if said certificate is lost or destroyed, a certified copy thereof, must be submitted in order that the Commissioner may make appropriate entry thereon.
37 CFR 2.175 Correction of mistake by registrant.
(a) Whenever a mistake has been made in a registration and a showing has been made that such mistake occurred in good faith through the fault of the applicant, the Commissioner may issue a certificate of correction, or in his discretion, a new certificate upon the payment of the required fee, provided that the correction does not involve such changes in the registration as to require republication of the mark.
(b) Application for such action must specify the mistake for which correction is sought and the manner in which it arose, show that it occurred in good faith, be signed by the applicant and verified or include a declaration in accordance with § 2.20, and be accompanied by the required fee. The certificate of registration or, if said certificate is lost or destroyed, a certified copy thereof, must also be submitted in order that the Commissioner may make appropriate entry thereon.
(c) A printed copy of the certificate of correction shall be attached to each printed copy of the registration.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 31 FR 5262, Apr. 1, 1966]
37 CFR 2.176 Consideration of above matters.
The matters in §§ 2.171 to 2.175 will be considered in the first instance by the Examiner of Trademarks. If the action of the Examiner of Trademarks is adverse, registrant may request the Commissioner to review the action under § 2.146. If response to an adverse action of the Examiner is not made by the registrant within six months, the matter will be considered abandoned. TERM AND RENEWAL
Authority: Sections 2.181 to 2.184 also issued under § 9, 60 Stat. 431; 15 U.S.C. 1059.
37 CFR 2.181 Term of original registrations and renewals.
(a)
(1) Registrations issued or renewed under the Act, prior to November 16, 1989, whether on the Principal Register or on the Supplemental Register, remain in force for twenty years from their date of issue or expiration, and may be renewed for periods of ten years from the expiring period unless previously cancelled or surrendered.
(2) Registrations issued or renewed under the Act on or after November 16, 1989, whether on the Principal Register or on the Supplemental Register, remain in force for ten years from their date of issue or expiration, and may be renewed for periods of ten years from the expiring period unless previously cancelled or surrendered.
(b) Registrations issued under the Acts of 1905 and 1881 remain in force for their unexpired terms and may be renewed in the same manner as registrations under the Act of 1946.
(c) Registrations issued under the Act of 1920 cannot be renewed unless renewal is required to support foreign registrations and in such case may be renewed on the Supplemental Register in the same manner as registrations under the Act of 1946.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 54 FR 37597, Sept. 11, 1989]
37 CFR 2.182 Period within which application for renewal must be filed.
An application for renewal may be filed by the registrant at any time within six months before the expiration of the period for which the certificate of registration was issued or renewed, or it may be filed within three months after such expiration on payment of the additional fee required.
37 CFR 2.183 Requirements of application for renewal.
(a) The application for renewal must include a statement which is verified or which includes a declaration in accordance with § 2.20 by the registrant setting forth the goods or services recited in each class for which renewal is sought in the registration on or in connection with which the mark is still in use in commerce, specifying the nature of such commerce (except under paragraph (c) of this section). This statement must be executed not more than six months before the expiration of the registration and must:
(1) Be accompanied by a specimen or facsimile specimen for each class for which renewal is sought in the registration showing current use of the mark.
(2) Include the required fee for each class for which renewal is sought in tile registration, and an additional fee for each class in the case of a delayed application for renewal. If the application for renewal includes insufficient fees to cover all: classes in the registration, the particular class or classes for which renewal is sought should be specified.
(b) The declaration or verified statement, specimen or facsimile specimen and the fee for each class for which renewal is sought in the registration must be filed within the period prescribed for applying for renewal. If defective or insufficient, they cannot be completed after the period for applying for renewal has passed; if completed after the initial six month period has expired but before the expiration of the three month delay period, the application can be considered only as a delayed application for renewal.
(c) If the mark is not in use in commerce at the time of filing of the declaration or verified statement as to any class for which renewal is sought, facts must be recited to show that nonuse is due to special circumstances which excuse such nonuse and is not due to any intention to abandon the mark. There must be a recitation of facts as to nonuse for each class for which renewal is sought or it must be clear that the facts recited apply to each class sought to be renewed. If the facts recited require amplification, or explanation, in order to show excusable nonuse, further evidence may be submitted and considered even though filed after the period for applying for renewal has passed.
(d) If the applicant is not domiciled in the United States, the application for renewal must include the designation of some person resident in the United States on whom may be served notices or process in proceedings affecting the mark.
(e) If the mark is registered under the Act of 1920, the application for renewal must include a showing which is verified or which includes a declaration in accordance with § 2.20 that renewal is required to, support foreign registrations.
[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 31 FR 5262, Apr. 1, 1966; 41 FR 761, Jan. 5, 1976]
37 CFR 2.184 Refusal of renewal.
(a) If the application for renewal is incomplete or defective, the renewal will be refused. The application may be completed or amended in response to a refusal, subject to the provisions of § 2.183. If a response to a refusal of renewal is not filed within six months from the date of mailing of the action, the application for renewal will be considered abandoned. A request to reconsider a refusal of renewal shall be a condition precedent to a petition to the Commissioner to review the refusal of renewal.
(b) If the refusal of renewal is adhered to, the registrant may petition the Commissioner to review the action under § 2.146(a)(2). The petition to the Commissioner requesting review of the action adhering to the refusal of the renewal must be filed within six months from the date of mailing of the action which adhered to the refusal. If a timely petition to the Commissioner is not filed, the application for renewal will be considered abandoned.
(c) The decision of the Commissioner on the petition will constitute the final action of the Patent and Trademark Office.
(d) A petition to the Commissioner for review of the action shall be a condition precedent to an appeal to or action for review by any court.
[48 FR 23143, May 23, 1983]
AMENDMENT OF RULES
37 CFR 2.189 Amendments to rules.
(a) All amendments to this part will be published in the Official Gazette and in the FEDERAL REGISTER.
(b) Whenever required by law, and in other cases whenever practicable, notice of proposed amendments to these rules will be published in the FEDERAL REGISTER and in the Official Gazette. If not published with the notice, copies of the text will be furnished to any person requesting the same. All comments, suggestions, and briefs received within a time specified in the notice will be considered before adoption of the proposed amendments which may be modified in the light thereof. Oral hearings may be held at the discretion of the Commissioner.
PART 3-ASSIGNMENT, RECORDING,
AND RIGHTS OF ASSIGNEE
37 CFR 3.1 Definitions.
For purposes of this part, the following definitions shall apply:
Application means a national application for patent, an international application that designates the United States of America, or an application to register trademark unless otherwise indicated.
Assignment means a transfer by a party of all or part of its right, title and interest in a patent or patent application, or a transfer of its entire right, title and interest in a registered mark or a mark for which an application to register has been filed.
Document means a document which a party requests to be recorded in the Office pursuant to § 3.11 and which affects some interest in an application, patent, or registration.
Office means the Patent and Trademark Office.
Recorded document means a document which has been recorded in the Office pursuant to § 3.11.
Registration means a trademark registration issued by the Office.
[Added, 57 FR 29634, July 6, 1992, effective Sept. 4, 1992]
DOCUMENTS ELIGIBLE FOR RECORDING
37 CFR 3.11 Documents which will be recorded.
Assignments of applications, patents, and registrations, accompanied by completed cover sheets as specified in §§ 3.28 and 3.31, will be recorded in the Office. Other documents, accompanied by completed cover sheets as specified in §§ 3.28 and 3.31, affecting title to applications, patents, or registrations, will be recorded as provided in this Part or at the discretion of the Commissioner.
[Added, 57 FR 29634, July 6, 1992, effective Sept. 4, 1992]
37 CFR 3.16 Assignability of trademarks prior to filing of use statement.
No application to register a mark under 15 U.S.C. 1051(b) is assignable prior to the filing of the verified statement of use under 15 U.S.C. 1051(d) except to a successor to the business of the applicant, or portion thereof, to which the mark pertains, if that business is ongoing and existing.
[Added, 57 FR 29634, July 6, 1992, effective Sept. 4, 1992]
REQUIREMENTS FOR RECORDING
37 CFR 3.21 Identification of patents and patent applications.
An assignment relating to a patent must identify the patent by the patent number. An assignment relating to a national patent application must identify the national patent application by the application number (consisting of the series code and the serial number, e.g., 07/123,456). An assignment relating to an international patent application which designates the United States of America must identify the international application by the international application number (e.g., PCT/US90/01234). If an assignment of a patent application filed under § 1.53(b)(1) or § 1.62 is executed concurrently with, or subsequent to, the execution of the patent application, but before the patent application is filed, it must identify the patent application by its date of execution, name of each inventor, and title of the invention so that there can be no mistake as to the patent application intended. If an assignment of a provisional application is executed before the provisional application is filed, it must identify the provisional application by name of each inventor and title of the invention so that there can be no mistake as to the provisional application intended.
[Added, 57 FR 29634, July 6, 1992, effective Sept. 4, 1992; amended, 60 FR 20195, Apr. 25, 1995, effective June 8, 1995]
37 CFR 3.24 Formal requirements for documents and cover sheets.
The document and cover sheet must be legible. Either the original document or a true copy of the original document, may be submitted for recording. Only one side of each page shall be used. The paper used should be flexible, strong white, non-shiny, durable, and preferably no larger than 21.6 x 33.1 cm. (81/2 x 14 inches) with a 2.5 cm. (one-inch) margin on all sides.
[Added, 57 FR 29634, July 6, 1992, effective Sept. 4, 1992]
37 CFR 3.26 English language requirement.
The Office will accept and record non-English language documents only if accompanied by a verified English translation signed by the individual making the translation.
[Added, 57 FR 29634, July 6, 1992, effective Sept. 4, 1992]
37 CFR 3.27 Mailing address for submitting documents to be recorded.
Documents and cover sheets to be recorded should be addressed to the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks, Box Assignments, Washington, D.C. 20231, unless they are filed together with new applications or with a petition under § 3.81(b).
[Added, 57 FR 29634, July 6, 1992, effective Sept. 4, 1992]
37 CFR 3.28 Requests for recording.
Each document submitted to the Office for recording must be accompanied by at least one cover sheet as specified in § 3.31 referring either to those patent applications and patents, or to those trademark applications and registrations, against which the document is to be recorded. If a document to be recorded includes interests in, or transactions involving, both patents and trademarks, separate patent and trademark cover sheets must be submitted. Only one set of documents and cover sheets to be recorded should be filed. If a document to be recorded is not accompanied by a completed cover sheet, the document and any incomplete cover sheet will be returned pursuant to § 3.51 for proper completion of a cover sheet and resubmission of the document and a completed cover sheet.
[Added, 57 FR 29634, July 6, 1992, effective Sept. 4, 1992]
COVER SHEET REQUIREMENTS
37 CFR 3.31 Cover sheet content.
(a) Each patent or trademark cover sheet required by § 3.28 must contain:
(1) the name of the party conveying the interest;
(2) the name and address of the party receiving the interest;
(3) a description of the interest conveyed or transaction to be recorded;
(4) each application number, patent number or registration number against which the document is to be recorded, or an indication that the document is filed together with a patent application;
(5) the name and address of the party to whom correspondence concerning the request to record the document should be mailed;
(6) the number of applications, patents, or registrations identified in the cover sheet and the total fee;
(7) the date the document was executed;
(8) an indication that the assignee of a trademark application or registration who is not domiciled in the United States has designated a domestic representative (see § 3.61); and
(9) a statement by the party submitting the document that to the best of the person's knowledge and belief, the information contained on the cover sheet is true and correct and any copy submitted is a true copy of the original document; and
(10) the signature of the party submitting the document.
(b) A cover sheet may not refer to both patents and trademarks.
[Added, 57 FR 29634, July 6, 1992, effective Sept. 4, 1992]
37 CFR 3.34 Correction of cover sheet errors.
(a) An error in a cover sheet recorded pursuant to§ 3.11 will be corrected only if:
(1) the error is apparent when the cover sheet is compared with the recorded document to which it pertains and
(2) a corrected cover sheet is filed for recordation.
(b) The corrected cover sheet must be accompanied by the originally recorded document or a copy of the originally recorded document and by the recording fee as set forth in § 3.41.
[Added, 57 FR 29634, July 6, 1992, effective Sept. 4, 1992]
FEES
37 CFR 3.41 Recording fees.
All requests to record documents must be accompanied by the appropriate fee. A fee is required for each application, patent and registration against which the document is recorded as identified in the cover sheet. The recording fee is set in § 1.21(h) of this Chapter for patents and in § 2.6(q) of this Chapter for trademarks.
[Added, 57 FR 29634, July 6, 1992, effective Sept. 4, 1992]
DATE AND EFFECT OF RECORDING
37 CFR 3.51 Recording date.
The date of recording of a document is the date the document meeting the requirements for recording set forth in this Part is filed in the Office. A document which does not comply with the identification requirements of § 3.21 will not be recorded. Documents not meeting the other requirements for recording, for example, a document submitted without a completed cover sheet or without the required fee, will be returned for correction to the sender where a correspondence address is available. The returned papers, stamped with the original date of receipt by the Office, will be accompanied by a letter which will indicate that if the returned papers are corrected and resubmitted to the Office within the time specified in the letter, the Office will consider the original date of filing of the papers as the date of recording of the document. The certification procedure under either § 1.8 or § 1.10 of this Chapter may be used for resubmissions of returned papers to have the benefit of the date of deposit in the United States Postal Service. If the returned papers are not corrected and resubmitted within the specified period, the date of filing of the corrected papers will be considered to be the date of recording of the document. The specified period to resubmit the returned papers will not be extended.
[Added, 57 FR 29634, July 6, 1992, effective Sept. 4, 1992]
37 CFR 3.54 Effect of recording.
The recording of a document pursuant to § 3.11 is not a determination by the Office of the validity of the document or the effect that document has on the title to an application, a patent, or a registration. When necessary, the Office will determine what effect a document has, including whether a party has the authority to take an action in a matter pending before the Office.
[Added, 57 FR 29634, July 6, 1992, effective Sept. 4, 1992]
37 CFR 3.56 Conditional assignments.
Assignments which are made conditional on the performance of certain acts or events, such as the payment of money or other condition subsequent, if recorded in the Office, are regarded as absolute assignments for Office purposes until cancelled with the written consent of all parties or by the decree of a court of competent jurisdiction. The Office does not determine whether such conditions have been fulfilled.
[Added, 57 FR 29634, July 6, 1992, effective Sept. 4, 1992]
DOMESTIC REPRESENTATIVE
37 CFR 3.61 Domestic representative.
If the assignee of a trademark application or registration is not domiciled in the United States, the assignee must designate, in writing to the Office, a domestic representative. An assignee of a patent application or patent may designate a domestic representative if the assignee is not residing in the United States. The designation shall state the name and address of a person residing within the United States on whom may be served process or notice of proceedings affecting the application, patent or registration or rights thereunder.
[Added, 57 FR 29634, July 6, 1992, effective Sept. 4, 1992]
PROSECUTION BY ASSIGNEE
37 CFR 3.71 Prosecution by assignee.
The assignee of record of the entire right, title and interest in an application for patent is entitled to conduct the prosecution of the patent application to the exclusion of the named inventor or previous assignee. The assignee of a registered trademark or a trademark for which an application to register has been filed is entitled to conduct the prosecution of the trademark application or registration to the exclusion of the original applicant or previous assignee.
[Added, 57 FR 29634, July 6, 1992, effective Sept. 4, 1992]
37 CFR 3.73 Establishing right of assignee to prosecute.
(a) The inventor is presumed to be the owner of a patent application, and any patent that may issue therefrom, unless there is an assignment. The original applicant is presumed to be the owner of a trademark application unless there is an assignment.
(b) When the assignee of the entire right, title, and interest seeks to take action in a matter before the Office with respect to a patent application, trademark application, patent registration, or reexamination proceeding, the assignee must establish its ownership of the property to the satisfaction of the Commissioner. Ownership is established by submitting to the Office documentary evidence of a chain of title from the original owner to the assignee or by specifying (e.g. reel and frame number, etc.) where such evidence is recorded in the Office. Documents submitted to establish ownership may be required to be recorded as a condition to permitting the assignee to take action in a matter pending before the Office. In addition, the assignee of a patent application or patent must submit a statement specifying that the evidentiary documents have been reviewed and certifying that, to the best of assignee's knowledge and belief, title is in the assignee seeking to take the action.
[Added, 57 FR 29634, July 6, 1992, effective Sept. 4, 1992]
ISSUANCE TO ASSIGNEE
37 CFR 3.81 Issue of patent to assignee.
(a) For a patent application, if an assignment of the entire right, title, and interest is recorded before the issue fee is paid, the patent may issue in the name of the assignee. If the assignee holds an undivided part interest, the patent may issue jointly to the inventor and the assignee. At the time the issue fee is paid, the name of the assignee must be provided if the patent is to issue solely or jointly to that assignee.
(b) If the assignment is submitted for recording after the date of payment of the issue fee, but prior to issuance of the patent, the assignee may petition that the patent issue to the assignee. Any such petition must be accompanied by the fee set forth in § 1.17(i) of this Chapter.
[Added, 57 FR 29634, July 6, 1992, effective Sept. 4, 1992; amended, 60 FR 20195, Apr. 25, 1995, effective June 8, 1995]
37 CFR 3.85 Issue of registration to assignee.
The certificate of registration may be issued to the assignee of the applicant, or in a new name of the applicant, provided that the party files a written request in the trademark application by the time the application is being prepared for issuance of the certificate of registration, and the appropriate document is recorded in the Office. If the assignment or name change document has not been recorded in the Office, then the written request must state that the document has been filed for recordation. The address of the assignee must be made of record in the application file.
[Added, 57 FR 29634, July 6, 1992, effective Sept. 4, 1992]
PART 6-CLASSIFICATION OF GOODS
AND SERVICES UNDER THE TRADEMARK ACT
37 CFR 6.1 International schedule of classes of goods and services.
GOODS
1. Chemical products used in industry, science, photography, agriculture, horticulture, forestry; artificial and synthetic resins; plastics in the form of powders, liquids or pastes, for industrial use; manures (natural and artifician( � fire extinguishing compositions; tempering substances and chemical preparations for soldering; chemical substances for preserving foodstuffs; tanning substances; adhesive substances used in industry.
2. Paints, varnishes, lacquers; preservatives against rust and against deterioration of wood; coloring matters, dyestuffs; mordants; natural resins; metals in foil and powder form for painters and decorators.
3. Bleaching preparations and other substances for laundry use; cleaning, polishing, scouring and abrasive preparations; soaps; perfumery, essential oils, cosmetics, hair lotions; dentifrices.
4. Industrial oils and greases (other than oils and fats and essential oils); lubricants; dust laying and absorbing compositions; fuels (including motor spirit) and illuminants; candles, tapers, night lights and wicks.
5. Pharmaceutical, veterinary, and sanitary substances; infants' and invalids' foods; plasters, material for bandaging; material for stopping teeth, dental wax, disinfectants; preparations for killing weeds and destroying vermin.
6. Unwrought and partly wrought common metals and their alloys; anchors, anvils, bells, rolled and cast building materials; rails and other metallic materials for railway tracks; chains (except driving chains for vehicles); cables and wires (nonelectric); locksmiths' work; metallic pipes and tubes; safes and cash boxes; steel balls; horseshoes; nails and screws; other goods in nonprecious metal not included in other classes; ores.
7. Machines and machine tools; motors (except for land vehicles); machine couplings and belting (except for land vehicles); large size agricultural implements; incubators.
8. Hand tools and instruments; cutlery, forks, and spoons; side arms.
9. Scientific, nautical, surveying and electrical apparatus and instruments (including wireless), photographic, cinematographic, optical, weighing, measuring, signalling, checking (supervision), life-saving and teaching apparatus and instruments; coin or counterfreed apparatus; talking machines; cash registers; calculating machines; fire extinguishing apparatus.
10. Surgical, medical, dental, and veterinary instruments and apparatus (including artificial limbs, eyes, and teeth).
11. Installations for lighting, heating, steam generating, cooking, refrigerating, drying, ventilating, water supply, and sanitary purposes.
12. Vehicles; apparatus for locomotion by land, air, or water.
13. Firearms; ammunition and projectiles; explosive substances; fireworks.
14. Precious metals and their alloys and goods in precious metals or coated therewith (except cutlery, forks and spoons); jewelry, precious stones, horological and other chronometric instruments.
15. Musical instruments (other than talking machines and wireless apparatus).
16. Paper and paper articles, cardboard and cardboard articles; printed matter, newspaper and periodicals, books; bookbinding material; photographs; stationery, adhesive materials (stationery); artists' materials; paint brushes; typewriters and office requisites (other than furniture); instructional and teaching material (other than apparatus); playing cards; printers' type and cliches (stereotype).
17. Gutta percha, india rubber, balata and substitutes, articles made from these substances and not included in other classes; plastics in the form of sheets, blocks and rods, being for use in manufacture; materials for packing, stopping or insulating; asbestos, mica and their products; hose pipes (nonmetallic).
18. Leather and imitations of leather, and articles made from these materials and not included in other classes; skins, hides; trunks and travelling bags; umbrellas, parasols and walking sticks; whips, harness and saddlery.
19. Building materials, natural and artificial stone, cement, lime, mortar, plaster and gravel; pipes of earthenware or cement; roadmaking materials; asphalt, pitch and bitumen; portable buildings; stone monuments; chimney pots.
20. Furniture, mirrors, picture frames; articles (not included in other classes) of wood, cork, reeds, cane, wicker, horn, bone, ivory, whalebone, shell, amber, mother-of-pearl, meerschaum, celluloid, substitutes for all these materials, or of plastics.
21. Small domestic utensils and containers (not of precious metals, or coated therewith); combs and sponges; brushes (other than paint brushes); brushmaking materials; instruments and material for cleaning purposes, steel wool; unworked or semiworked glass (excluding glass used in building); glassware, porcelain and earthenware, not included in other classes.
22. Ropes, string, nets, tents, awnings, tarpaulins, sails, sacks; padding and stuffing materials (hair, kapok, feathers, seaweed, etc.); raw fibrous textile materials.
23. Yarns, threads.
24. Tissues (piece goods); bed and table covers; textile articles not included in other classes.
25. Clothing, including boots, shoes and slippers.
26. Lace and embroidery, ribands and braid; buttons, press buttons, hooks and eyes, pins and needles; artificial flowers.
27. Carpets, rugs, mats and matting; linoleums and other materials for covering existing floors; wall hangings (nontextile).
28. Games and playthings; gymnastic and sporting articles (except clothing); ornaments and decorations for Christmas trees.
29. Meats, fish, poultry and game; meat extracts; preserved, dried and cooked fruits and vegetables; jellies, jams; eggs, milk and other dairy products; edible oils and fats; preserves, pickles.
30. Coffee, tea, cocoa, sugar, rice, tapioca, sago, coffee substitutes; flour, and preparations made from cereals; bread, biscuits, cakes, pastry and confectionery, ices; honey, treacle; yeast, baking powder; salt, mustard, pepper, vinegar, sauces, spices; ice.
31. Agricultural, horticultural and forestry products and grains not included in other classes; living animals; fresh fruits and vegetables; seeds; live plants and flowers; foodstuffs for animals, malt.
32. Beer, ale and porter; mineral and aerated waters and other nonalcoholic drinks; syrups and other preparations for making beverages.
33. Wines, spirits and liqueurs.
34. Tobacco, raw or manufactured; smokers' articles; matches.
SERVICES
35. Advertising and business.
36. Insurance and financial.
37. Construction and repair.
38. Communication.
39. Transportation and storage.
40. Material treatment.
41. Education and entertainment.
42. Miscellaneous.
37 CFR 6.2 Prior U.S. schedule of classes of goods and services.
GOODS
Class Title
1 Raw or partly prepared materials.
2 Receptacles.
3 Baggage, animal equipments, portfolios, and pocket books.
4 Abrasives and polishing materials.
5 Adhesives.
6 Chemicals and chemical compositions.
7 Cordage.
8 Smokers' articles, not including tobacco products.
9 Explosives, firearms, equipments, and projectiles.
10 Fertilizers.
11 Inks and inking materials.
12 Construction materials.
13 Hardware and plumbing and steamfitting supplies.
14 Metals and metal castings and forgings.
15 Oils and greases.
16 Protective and decorative coatings.
17 Tobacco products.
18 Medicines and pharmaceutical preparations.
19 Vehicles.
20 Linoleum and oiled cloth.
21 Electrical apparatus, machines, and supplies.
22 Games, toys, and sporting goods.
23 Cutlery, machinery, and tools, and parts thereof.
24 Laundry appliances and machines.
25 Locks and safes.
26 Measuring and scientific appliances.
27 Horological instruments.
28 Jewelry and precious-metal ware.
29 Brooms, brushes, and dusters.
30 Crockery, earthenware, and porcelain.
31 Filters and refrigerators.
32 Furniture and upholstery.
33 Glassware.
34 Heating, lighting, and ventilating apparatus.
35 Belting, hose, machinery packing, and nonmetallic tires.
36 Musical instruments and supplies.
37 Paper and stationery.
38 Prints and publications.
39 Clothing.
40 Fancy goods, furnishings, and notions.
41 Canes, parasols, and umbrellas.
42 Knitted, netted, and textile fabrics, and substitutes therefor.
43 Thread and yarn.
44 Dental, medical, and surgical appliances.
45 Soft drinks and carbonated waters.
46 Foods and ingredients of foods.
47 Wines.
48 Malt beverages and liquors.
49 Distilled alcoholic liquors.
50 Merchandise not otherwise classified.
51 Cosmetics and toilet preparations.
52 Detergents and soaps.
SERVICES
100 Miscellaneous.
101 Advertising and business.
102 Insurance and financial.
103 Construction and repair.
104 Communication.
105 Transportation and storage.
106 Material treatment.
107 Education and entertainment.
37 CFR 6.3 Schedule for certification marks.
In the case of certification marks, all goods and services are classified in two classes as follows:
A. Goods
B. Services
37 CFR 6.4 Schedule for collective membership marks.
All collective membership marks are classified as follows:
Class Title
200 Collective Membership.
REVISED UNIFORM DECEPTIVE TRADE PRACTICES ACT
Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act (Revised)
§ 1. Definitions.
As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:
(1) "article" means a product as distinguished from its trademark, label, or distinctive dress in packaging:
(2) "certification mark" means a mark used in connection with the goods or services of a person other than the certifier to indicate geographic origin, material, mode of manufacture, quality, accuracy, or other characteristics of the goods or services or to indicate that the work or labor on the goods or services was performed by members of a union or other organization;
(3) "collective mark" means a mark used by members of a cooperative, association, or other collective group or organization to identify goods or services and distinguish them from those of others, or to indicate membership in the collective group or organization;
(4) "mark" means a word, name, symbol, device, or any combination of the foregoing in any form or arrangement;
(5) "person" means an individual, corporation, government, or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, unincorporated association, two or more of any of the foregoing having a joint or common interest, or any other legal or commercial entity;
(6) "service mark" means a mark used by a person to identify services and to distinguish them from the services of others;
(7) "trademark" means a mark used by a person to identify goods and to distinguish them from the goods of others;
(8) "trade name" means a word, name, symbol, device, or any combination of the foregoing in any form or arrangement used by a person to identify his business, vocation, or occupation and distinguish it from the business, vocation, or occupation of others.
§ 2. Deceptive Trade Practices.
(a) A person engages in a deceptive trade practice when, in the course of his business, vocation, or occupation, he:
(1) passes off goods or services as those of another;
(2) causes likelihood of confusion or of misunderstanding as to the source, sponsorship, approval, or certification of goods or services;
(3) causes likelihood of confusion or of misunderstanding as to affiliation, connection, or association with, or certification by, another;
(4) uses deceptive representations or designations of geographic origin in connection with goods or services;
(5) represents that goods or services have sponsorship, approval, characteristics, ingredients, uses, benefits, or quantities that they do not have or that a person has a sponsorship, approval, status, affiliation, or connection that he does not have;
(6) represents that goods are original or new if they are deteriorated, altered, reconditioned, reclaimed, used, or secondhand;
(7) represents that goods or services are of a particular standard, quality, or grade, or that goods are of a particular style or model, if they are of another;
(8) disparages the goods, services, or business of another by false or misleading representation of fact;
(9) advertises goods or services with intent not to sell them as advertised;
(10) advertises goods or services with intent not to supply reasonably expectable public demand, unless the advertisement discloses a limitation of quantity;
(11) makes false or misleading statements of fact concerning the reasons for, existence of, or amounts of price reductions; or
(12) engages in any other conduct which similarly creates a likelihood of confusion or of misunderstanding.
(b) In order to prevail in an action under this Act, a complainant need not prove competition between the parties or actual confusion or misunderstanding.
(c) This section does not affect unfair trade practices otherwise actionable at common law or under other statutes of this state.
§ 3. Remedies.
(a) A person likely to be damaged by a deceptive trade practice of another may be granted an injunction against it under the principles of equity and on terms that the court considers reasonable.
Proof of monetary damage, loss of profits, or intent to deceive is not required. Relief granted for the copying of an article shall be limited to the prevention of confusion or misunderstanding as to source.
(b) Costs shall be allowed to the prevailing party unless the court otherwise directs. The court [in its discretion] may award attorneys' fees to the prevailing party if
(1) the party complaining of a deceptive trade practice has brought an action which he knew to be groundless or
(2) the party charged with a deceptive trade practice has wilfully engaged in the trade practice knowing it to be deceptive.
(c) The relief provided in this section is in addition to remedies otherwise available against the same conduct under the common law or other statutes of this state.
§ 4. Application.
(a) This Act does not apply to:
(1) conduct in compliance with the orders or rules of, or a statute administered by, a federal, state, or local governmental agency;
(2) publishers, broadcasters, printers, or other persons engaged in the dissemination of information or reproduction of printed or pictorial matters who publish, broadcast, or reproduce material without knowledge of its deceptive character; or
(3) actions or appeals pending on the effective date of this Act.
(b) Subsections 2(a)(2) and 2(a)(3) do not apply to the use of a service mark, trademark, certification mark, collective mark, trade name, or other trade identification that was used and not abandoned before the effective date of this Act, if the use was in good faith and is otherwise lawful except for this Act.
§ 5. Uniformity of Interpretation.
This Act shall be construed to effectuate its general purpose to make uniform the law of those states which enact it.
§ 6. Short Title.
This Act may be cited as the Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
§ 7. Severability.
If any provisions of this Act or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of the Act which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this Act are severable.
§ 8. Repeals.
The following acts or parts of acts are repealed:
(1)
(2)
(3)
§ 9. Time of Taking Effect.
This Act takes effect ..............................
The Original Uniform Act, in force in several states, provided: 3(b). [The court in exceptional cases may award reasonable attorneys'fees to the prevailing party.] Costs [or attorneys' fees] may be assessed against a defendant only if the court finds that he has wilfully engaged in a deceptive trade practice.