Howard Neu with Mike Mann.
We follow UDRP filings closely, and as part of our observations we’ve noticed an increase in UDRP filings by Turkish companies.
In a case involving the domain name Sarten.com, IP attorney and THE Domain Conference founder, Howard Neu, successfully defended the domain on behalf of the Respondent.
Stanley Pace, domain investor and owner of Sarten.com, stated as part of the response that he is fluent in Spanish; sarten means “frying pan” in Spanish.
Furthermore, he registered Sarten.com a year before the Complainant, Turkish company, Sarten Ambalaj San. ve Tic. A.Ş. of Istanbul, Turkey, registered its mark for SARTEN in 1999.
The Complainant operates from Sarten.com.tr.
The SARTEN trademark is not famous, not known outside of Turkey, according to Stanley Pace.
Neu’s defense also noted that domain parking is a legitimate business, and a three member panel at the WIPO decided that the Respondent should keep the domain.
For the full text of the UDRP for Sarten.com, click here.
