Offc Action Outgoing

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

 

 

 

OFFICE ACTION

 

TO AVOID ABANDONMENT, WE MUST RECEIVE A PROPER RESPONSE TO THIS OFFICE ACTION WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF OUR MAILING OR E-MAILING DATE. 

 

Serial Number  76/472585

 

Although the examining attorney has searched the Office records and has found no similar registered mark which would bar registration under Trademark Act Section 2(d), 15 U.S.C. §1052(d), the examining attorney encloses information regarding pending Application Serial No. 76-406,421.  37 C.F.R. §2.83.  As shown by the attached copies of third-party registrations, a single source often manufactures wine as well as whiskey or gin. 

 

There may be a likelihood of confusion between the applicant’s mark and the mark in the above noted application under Section 2(d) of the Act.  The filing date of the referenced application precedes the applicant’s filing date.  If the earlier‑filed application matures into a registration, the examining attorney may refuse registration under Section 2(d).

 

To base the application on the applicant’s use of the mark in commerce the applicant must submit a specimen for each class, showing how the applicant actually uses the mark in commerce.  If the specimen is not filed with the initial application, applicant must submit a statement that the specimen was in use in commerce at least as early as the application filing date.  This must be verified by the applicant, i.e., supported either by an affidavit or by a declaration under 37 C.F.R. §§2.20 and 2.33. Trademark Act Section 1(a), 15 U.S.C. §1051(a); 37 C.F.R. §§2.34(a)(1) and 2.59(a); TMEP §806.01(a).

 

If the applicant cannot comply with the requirement for a specimen for the 1(a) basis asserted, the applicant may substitute a different basis for filing if the applicant can meet the requirements for the new basis.  See TMEP §§806.03 et seq.

 

In this case, the applicant may wish to amend the application to assert a 1(b) basis.

 

Fee increase effective January 1, 2003

Effective January 1, 2003, the fee for filing an application for trademark registration will be increased to $335.00 per International Class.  The USPTO will not accord a filing date to applications that are filed on or after that date that are not accompanied by a minimum of $335.00. 

 

Additionally, the fee for amending an existing application to add an additional class or classes of goods/services will be $335.00 per class for classes added on or after January 1, 2003.

 

 

 

/Hannah Fisher/

Trademark Examining Attorney

Law Office 111

(703) 308-9110 x 171 or (301) 610-5388

ecom111@uspto.gov

Fax: (703) 746-8111

 

How to respond to this Office Action:

 

To respond formally using the Office’s Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS), visit http://www.gov.uspto.report/teas/index.html and follow the instructions.

 

To respond formally via E-mail, visit http://www.gov.uspto.report/web/trademarks/tmelecresp.htm and follow the instructions.

 

To respond formally via regular mail, your response should be sent to the mailing Return Address listed above and include the serial number, law office and examining attorney’s name on the upper right corner of each page of your response.

 

To check the status of your application at any time, visit the Office’s Trademark Applications and Registrations Retrieval (TARR) system at http://tarr.gov.uspto.report/

 

For general and other useful information about trademarks, you are encouraged to visit the Office’s web site at http://www.gov.uspto.report/main/trademarks.htm

 

FOR INQUIRIES OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS OFFICE ACTION, PLEASE CONTACT THE ASSIGNED EXAMINING ATTORNEY.