Suspension Letter

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)

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

 

 

 

SUSPENSION NOTICE: NO RESPONSE NEEDED

 

ISSUE/MAILING DATE: 1/11/2019

 

 

The trademark examining attorney is suspending action on the application for the reason(s) stated below.  See 37 C.F.R. §2.67; TMEP §§716 et seq. 

 

NO CONFLICTING MARKS FOUND:  The trademark examining attorney has searched the USPTO’s database of registered and pending marks and has found no conflicting marks that would bar registration under Trademark Act Section 2(d).  TMEP §704.02; see 15 U.S.C. §1052(d).

 

Applicant’s mark, FUCKERY, appears to consist of or include matter that may be immoral or scandalous.  See Trademark Act Section 2(a), 15 U.S.C. §1052(a); TMEP §1203.01.  The words “immoral” and “scandalous” may have somewhat different connotations; however, immoral matter has been included in the same category as scandalous matter.  TMEP §1203.01; see In re McGinley, 660 F.2d 481, 484 n.6, 211 USPQ 668, 673 n.6 (C.C.P.A. 1981) (Because of the court’s holding that appellant’s mark was scandalous, “it [was] unnecessary to consider whether appellant’s mark [was] ‘immoral.’  [The court] note[d] the dearth of reported trademark decisions in which the term ‘immoral’ [had] been directly applied.”).

 

For a mark to be “scandalous,” the evidence must show that the mark would be considered shocking to the sense of decency or propriety, giving offense to the conscience or moral feelings, or calling out for condemnation.  In re Fox, 702 F.3d 633, 635, 105 USPQ2d 1247, 1248 (Fed. Cir. 2012) (quoting In re Mavety Media Grp. Ltd., 33 F.3d 1367, 1371, 31 USPQ2d 1923, 1925 (Fed. Cir. 1994)); see TMEP §1203.01. 

 

A mark is scandalous when the evidence demonstrates that a substantial composite of the general public (although not necessarily a majority) would consider the mark to be scandalous in the context of contemporary attitudes and the relevant marketplace.  See In re Fox, 702 F.3d at 635, 105 USPQ2d at 1248 (quoting In re Mavety Media Grp. Ltd., 33 F.3d at 1371, 31 USPQ2d at 1925-26); In re The Boulevard Entm’t, Inc., 334 F.3d 1336, 1340, 67 USPQ2d 1475, 1477 (Fed. Cir. 2003); TMEP §1203.01. 

 

In this case, applicant seeks registration of FUCKERY for “Entertainment services in the nature of live musical performances; Provision of information relating to live performances, road shows, live stage events, theatrical performances, live music concerts and audience participation in such events.”  The attached evidence shows this wording means “something foolish”.  Therefore, the term “FUCKERY” appears to be scandalous.  Please see:

http://www.dictionaryfocus.com/?action=definition&word=fuckery

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/fuckery

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Fuckery

 

Registration normally would be refused under the scandalousness provision Section 2(a) because applicant’s mark consists of or includes matter that may be immoral or scandalous and thus violates the statute.  However, the constitutionality of this provision remains subject to potential U.S. Supreme Court review because the parties in In re Brunetti, 877 F.3d 1330, 125 USPQ2d 1072 (Fed. Cir. 2017) (reh’g en banc denied, No. 2015-1109 (Apr. 12, 2018) (per curiam)) have until July 11, 2018, unless extended, to petition the Court for a writ of certiorari.  See Sup. Ct. R. 13.

 

Because the constitutionality of the scandalous provision of Section 2(a) remains in question, action on this application will be SUSPENDED when it is in condition for final action until either (a) the time for filing a petition for certiorari in In re Brunetti (including any extensions granted) expires and no petition is filed; or, (b) a petition for certiorari is filed and the Court (1) denies certiorari or (2) grants certiorari and subsequently terminates the U.S. Supreme Court proceedings in the case.  See 37 C.F.R. §2.67; TMEP §§716, 716.02(d).

 

Applicant is advised that, should the U.S. Supreme Court grant the petition for certiorari and ultimately determine that the scandalousness provision of the Trademark Act is constitutional, then registration may be refused because the applied-for mark consists of or includes matter that may be immoral or scandalous.  15 U.S.C. §1052(a); see TMEP §1203.01. 

 

The USPTO will periodically conduct a status check of the application to determine whether suspension remains appropriate, and the trademark examining attorney will issue as needed an inquiry letter to applicant regarding the status of the matter on which suspension is based.  TMEP §§716.04, 716.05.  Applicant will be notified when suspension is no longer appropriate.  See TMEP §716.04.

 

No response to this notice is necessary; however, if applicant wants to respond, applicant should use the “Response to Suspension Inquiry or Letter of Suspension” form online at http://teasroa.gov.uspto.report/rsi/rsi.

 

 

 

/Judy Grundy/

Attorney Advisor

Office of the Deputy Commissioner

  for Trademark Examination Policy

judy.grundy@uspto.gov

571-272-8501

 

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 Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) form at http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/teas/correspondence.jsp.

 

 

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)

 

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING YOUR

U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION

 

USPTO OFFICE ACTION (OFFICIAL LETTER) HAS ISSUED

ON 1/11/2019 FOR U.S. APPLICATION SERIAL NO.88129259

 

Please follow the instructions below:

 

(1)  TO READ THE LETTER:  Click on this link or go to http://tsdr.gov.uspto.report/, enter the U.S. application serial number, and click on “Documents.”

 

The Office action may not be immediately viewable, to allow for necessary system updates of the application, but will be available within 24 hours of this e-mail notification.

 

(2)  QUESTIONS:  For questions about the contents of the Office action itself, please contact the assigned trademark examining attorney.  For technical assistance in accessing or viewing the Office action in the Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) system, please e-mail TSDR@uspto.gov.

 

WARNING

 

PRIVATE COMPANY SOLICITATIONS REGARDING YOUR APPLICATION:  Private companies not associated with the USPTO are using information provided in trademark applications to mail or e-mail trademark-related solicitations.  These companies often use names that closely resemble the USPTO and their solicitations may look like an official government document.  Many solicitations require that you pay “fees.” 

 

Please carefully review all correspondence you receive regarding this application to make sure that you are responding to an official document from the USPTO rather than a private company solicitation.  All official USPTO correspondence will be mailed only from the “United States Patent and Trademark Office” in Alexandria, VA; or sent by e-mail from the domain “@uspto.gov.”  For more information on how to handle private company solicitations, see http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/solicitation_warnings.jsp.