Suspension Inquiry

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)

OFFICE ACTION (OFFICIAL LETTER) ABOUT APPLICANT’S TRADEMARK APPLICATION

 

 

 

SUSPENSION INQUIRY:  RESPONSE REQUIRED

 

STRICT DEADLINE TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTER

TO AVOID ABANDONMENT OF APPLICANT’S TRADEMARK APPLICATION, THE USPTO MUST RECEIVE APPLICANT’S COMPLETE RESPONSE TO THIS LETTER WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF THE ISSUE/MAILING DATE BELOW.  A RESPONSE TRANSMITTED THROUGH THE TRADEMARK ELECTROVIEW YOUR APPLICATION FILENIC APPLICATION SYSTEM (TEAS) MUST BE RECEIVED BEFORE MIDNIGHT EASTERN TIME OF THE LAST DAY OF THE RESPONSE PERIOD.

 

ISSUE/MAILING DATE: 7/24/2018

 

TEAS PLUS OR TEAS REDUCED FEE (TEAS RF) APPLICANTS – TO MAINTAIN LOWER FEE, ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET, INCLUDING SUBMITTING DOCUMENTS ONLINE:  Applicants who filed their application online using the lower-fee TEAS Plus or TEAS RF application form must (1) file certain documents online using TEAS, including responses to Office actions (see TMEP §§819.02(b), 820.02(b) for a complete list of these documents); (2) maintain a valid e-mail correspondence address; and (3) agree to receive correspondence from the USPTO by e-mail throughout the prosecution of the application.  See 37 C.F.R. §§2.22(b), 2.23(b); TMEP §§819, 820.  TEAS Plus or TEAS RF applicants who do not meet these requirements must submit an additional processing fee of $125 per class of goods and/or services.  37 C.F.R. §§2.6(a)(1)(v), 2.22(c), 2.23(c); TMEP §§819.04, 820.04.  However, in certain situations, TEAS Plus or TEAS RF applicants may respond to an Office action by authorizing an examiner’s amendment by telephone or e-mail without incurring this additional fee.  

 

 

  X  FOREIGN REGISTRATION:  The trademark examining attorney previously suspended action on this application pending receipt of a true copy, a photocopy, a certification, or a certified copy of a foreign registration from applicant’s country of origin or proof of renewal of the foreign registration. 

 

      Applicant must specify the status of the relevant foreign application or registration renewal.  TMEP §§716.02(b), 716.05, 1003.04(c); see 15 U.S.C. §1126(e); 37 C.F.R. §2.34(a)(3)(ii)-(iii). 

 

      Applicant must respond to this inquiry to avoid abandonment and may do so by (1) stating that the foreign application or renewal is still pending or (2) submitting a true copy, a photocopy, a certification, or a certified copy of the foreign registration or renewal document.  TMEP §§716.05, 1003.04(c), 1004.01(a).  If the foreign registration or renewal document is not in English, applicant must provide an English translation.  37 C.F.R. §2.34(a)(3)(ii)-(iii); TMEP §1004.01(b).

 

      CIVIL PROCEEDING(S):  The trademark examining attorney previously suspended action on this application pending termination of a civil proceeding(s) relevant to the registrability of applicant’s mark. 

 

      Applicant must specify the status of the civil proceeding(s).  TMEP §§716.02(d), 716.05. 

 

      Applicant must respond to this inquiry to avoid abandonment and may do so by (1) providing a statement that the civil proceeding(s) is still pending, (2) specifying that the proceeding has been stayed and the reason for such stay to determine if removal from suspension is appropriate, or (3) specifying that the proceeding(s) has been terminated and providing a copy of any final decision or relevant agreement.  See TMEP §716.05. 

 

Assistance

 

If applicant has questions regarding this suspension inquiry letter, please telephone or e-mail the assigned trademark examining attorney.

 

/Daniel Stringer/

Trademark Examining Attorney

Law Office 103

571.272.8975

daniel.stringer@uspto.gov

 

TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTER:  Go to http://teasroa.gov.uspto.report/rsi/rsi.  Please wait 48-72 hours from the issue/mailing date before using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS), to allow for necessary system updates of the application.  For technical assistance with online forms, e-mail TEAS@uspto.gov.  For questions about the Office action itself, please contact the assigned trademark examining attorney.  E-mail communications will not be accepted as responses to Office actions; therefore, do not respond to this Office action by e-mail.

 

All informal e-mail communications relevant to this application will be placed in the official application record.

 

WHO MUST SIGN THE RESPONSE:  It must be personally signed by an individual applicant or someone with legal authority to bind an applicant (i.e., a corporate officer, a general partner, all joint applicants).  If an applicant is represented by an attorney, the attorney must sign the response. 

 

PERIODICALLY CHECK THE STATUS OF THE APPLICATION:  To ensure that applicant does not miss crucial deadlines or official notices, check the status of the application every three to four months using the Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) system at http://tsdr.gov.uspto.report/.  Please keep a copy of the TSDR status screen.  If the status shows no change for more than six months, contact the Trademark Assistance Center by e-mail at TrademarkAssistanceCenter@uspto.gov or call 1-800-786-9199.  For more information on checking status, see http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/process/status/.

 

TO UPDATE CORRESPONDENCE/E-MAIL ADDRESS:  Use the TEAS form at http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/teas/correspondence.jsp.