SCANA Corporation v. Jane
Madison
Claim Number: FA0708001067473
PARTIES
Complainant is SCANA Corporation (“Complainant”), represented by Maury
M. Tepper, of Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC,
REGISTRAR AND DISPUTED DOMAIN NAMES
The domain names at issue are <scana.mobi> and <scanaenergy.mobi>,
registered with GoDaddy.com, Inc.
PANEL
The undersigned certifies that he or she has acted independently and
impartially and to the best of his or her knowledge has no known conflict in
serving as Panelist in this proceeding.
R. Glen Ayers, Jr. served as Panelist.
PROCEDURAL HISTORY
Complainant submitted a Complaint to the National Arbitration Forum
electronically on August 22, 2007; the
National Arbitration Forum received a hard copy of the Complaint on August 23, 2007.
On August 23, 2007, GoDaddy.com, Inc. confirmed by e-mail to the
National Arbitration Forum that the <scana.mobi> and <scanaenergy.mobi>
domain names are registered with GoDaddy.com,
Inc. and that the Respondent is the current registrant of the name. GoDaddy.com,
Inc. has verified that Respondent is bound by the GoDaddy.com, Inc. registration agreement and
has thereby agreed to resolve domain-name disputes brought by third parties in
accordance with ICANN’s Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the
“Policy”).
On August 29, 2007, a
Notification of Complaint and Commencement of Administrative Proceeding (the
“Commencement Notification”), setting a deadline of September 18, 2007 by which
Respondent could file a Response to the Complaint, was transmitted to
Respondent via e-mail, post and fax, to all entities and persons listed on
Respondent’s registration as technical, administrative and billing contacts,
and to postmaster@scana.mobi and
postmaster@scanaenergy.mobi by e-mail.
A timely Response was received and determined to be complete on September 13, 2007.
On September 20, 2007, pursuant to Complainant’s request to have the
dispute decided by a single-member Panel, the National Arbitration Forum
appointed R. Glen Ayers, Jr., as Panelist.
RELIEF SOUGHT
Complainant requests that the domain name be transferred from
Respondent to Complainant.
PARTIES’ CONTENTIONS
A. Complainant
Complainant contends that it holds rights in a mark, SCANA, by
registration with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. It has also filed a pending trademark
application for the mark SCANA ENERGY.COM.
It also maintains a website at <scanaenergy.com>,
which it established in 1997.
Complainant complains that the domain names registered by Respondent,
<scana.mobi> and <scanaenergy.mobi> were registered on
October 30, 2006. The domain names are
not currently in use and merely advertise that each is for sale.
Complainant asserts that these domain names are identical to or
reasonably similar to its trademarks.
Although the two domain names add the “.mobi” top level domain name to
the trademark, Complainant asserts that this is insufficient to prevent the
domain names from being confusingly similar to the marks. In addition, Complainant asserts that the
SCANA trademark is very well-known, making addition of the work “Energy” to the
domain name <scanaenergy.mobi>
irrelevant.
Complainant states that its two assertions about the use of “.mobi” and
the addition of the word “energy” are supported by a long line of cases in
domain name arbitration and litigation.
Those cases almost universally establish that the addition of generic
words and top level domain names do not change the identical to or confusingly
similar nature of domain names like the two domain names under review in this
proceeding.
Complainant also asserts that Respondent has no legitimate rights or
interests in the domain name. Respondent
has not leased the SCANA marks; it is not known by the name SCANA; and, SCANA
has not consented to any use. Respondent
has not made any use of either domain name other than to offer them for
sale.
SCANA asserts that Respondent has registered the domain names in bad
faith. It asserts that Respondent had
constructive knowledge or notice of the SCANA mark since these are registered and
well-known marks. Further, Complainant
asserts the use of the mark is evidence of bad faith.
Complainant notes that SCANA is a word coined by Complainant (it is an
artificial or made up word). Finally,
Complainant asserts that Respondent has made no use of the domain names “in
connection with a bona fide offering of goods and services.” The websites associated with the domain names
merely offer the domain names for sale.
B. Respondent
Respondent has filed a Response that is not particularly
responsive. First, Respondent asserts
that it has the right to use the mark in connection with the domain name
extension. Respondent asserts that SCANA
could have always protected itself by registering the domain names. Respondent also has requested a continuance
to determine how the “.mobi” extension will be defined. In the alternative, Respondent asks for a six
month extension so that it can have additional time for research and for “any
petition to the courts to be heard.”
Finally, Respondent asserts that it is a “typical average family with
very little resources to defend ourselves against a fortune 500 company.” Respondent asserts that this action
constitutes bullying by SCANA.
Respondent seems to request or demand that SCANA conduct a shareholders
meeting so that the shareholders can approve or disapprove this action.
Finally, the Respondent asserts that this matter somehow lodged an
improper venue (apparently, the Arbitrator’s office). It asserts that the venue is inconvenient and
expensive to reach.
FINDINGS
First, the Arbitrator finds that Respondent’s
request for an extension of time of six months should be denied, no grounds
having been shown. Respondent also
requests “that any similar names in this case ending with different extensions
also be involved in the form of proceedings as additional respondents.” That request is beyond the scope of an
arbitration proceeding such as this and is denied. Also, Respondent requests an extension or
continuance until the purpose and definition of the “.mobi” extension is
determined, or in the alternative, a six month extension so that Respondent can
have additional time for research or to petition the courts. Those requests are denied as improper and
improvident.
Further, this arbitration proceeding grants
this Arbitrator no power to require a corporation to convene a shareholder’s
meeting. Respondent has not asserted
that the filing the Complaint in this case was beyond the ordinary course and
scope of the authority given by shareholders to directors of corporations and
by directors of corporations to their officers and employees. Even if this Arbitrator had the authority to
make such a demand or create such an order, the burden to show that this
proceeding was beyond the course and scope of the authority of employees and
directors is on Respondent and Respondent has made no such showing.
Finally, as to venue, the Arbitrator finds
that venue is irrelevant in paper proceedings.
The location of the Arbitrator “in desk” or “paper” arbitrations is
irrelevant. The United States Mail, Federal
Express, and other delivery services do reach both the National Arbitration Forum’s
offices in Minnesota, and the offices of this Arbitrator in San Antonio,
Texas. Because these arbitrations are
conducted by analysis of pleadings received from an express delivery service,
having the Forum located in
Complainant has established a prima facie case that it holds a mark and that
the two domain names are identical and confusingly similar. Respondent has offered no significant
rebuttal other than to assert that the “.mobi” extension is of uncertain
definition.
Complainant has shown a prima facie case that the Respondent has no rights in the mark
SCANA. Respondent has made no attempt to
rebut that allegation.
Next, Complainant has made a prima facie case of bad faith on behalf
of Respondent, and Respondent has made no rebuttal.
DISCUSSION
Paragraph 15(a) of the Rules for Uniform Domain
Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Rules”) instructs this Panel to “decide a
complaint on the basis of the statements and documents submitted in accordance
with the Policy, these Rules and any rules and principles of law that it deems
applicable.”
Paragraph 4(a) of the Policy requires that the Complainant must prove
each of the following three elements to obtain an order that a domain name
should be cancelled or transferred:
(1) the domain name registered by the Respondent
is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which the
Complainant has rights;
(2) the Respondent has no rights or legitimate
interests in respect of the domain name; and
(3) the domain name has been registered and is
being used in bad faith.
The two domain names are identical or confusingly similar to the marks held by SCANA. As the great weight of decisional authority holds, the addition and a generic top-level domain such as “.mobi” does not affect the analysis. See eLuxury.com, Inc. v. Sandulli, FA 960178 (Nat. Arb. Forum June 7, 2007) (determining that the <eluxury.mobi> domain name was identical to the complaining party’s ELUXURY mark); see also Starkey v. Bradley, FA 874575 (Nat. Arb. Forum Feb. 12, 2007) (“The suffix .mobi should be treated the same way as .com and should be ignored when comparing the mark and the disputed domain name.”).
As to the <scanaenergy.mobi> domain name, that
domain name is confusingly similar. As
Complainant has pointed out the addition of the generic word “energy” is not
sufficient to affect the analysis of whether or not the domain name and the
SCANA mark are confusingly similar. See Arthur
Guinness Son & Co. (
Because Complainant made out a prima facie case in support of its allegations, the burden shifted to Respondent and Respondent did not make any attempt to meet that burden. See Do The Hustle, LLC v. Tropic Web, D2000-0624 (WIPO Aug. 21, 2000); see also Clerical Med. Inv. Group Ltd. v. Clericalmedical.com, D2000-1228 (WIPO Nov. 28, 2000).
The decisional authority provides a
number of grounds to find bad faith. The
most important to the Panelist is that the SCANA mark is old and
well-established and held by a well-known company, which creates constructive
knowledge of and constructive notice of use of the mark SCANA. See
Pfizer, Inc. v. United Pharmacy, Ltd., D2001-0446 (WIPO June 8, 2001). Further, Respondent holds the domain names
only for purposes of resale. See generally Lyon v. Casserly, FA 193891 (Nat. Arb. Forum Oct. 29, 2003); see also World Wrestling Fed’n Entm’t, Inc. v. Bosman,
D99-0001 (WIPO Jan. 14, 2000).
Finally, Respondent has made no attempt to
rebut these allegations.
DECISION
Having established all three elements required under the ICANN Policy,
the Panelist concludes that relief shall be GRANTED.
Accordingly, it is Ordered that the <scana.mobi> and <scanaenergy.mobi> domain names
be TRANSFERRED from Respondent to Complainant.
R. GLEN AYERS, JR., Panelist
Dated: October 2, 2007
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