Johnson & Johnson v. tziporah breuer
Claim Number: FA0812001240474
Complainant is Johnson
& Johnson (“Complainant”), represented by Valyncia Simmons, of Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.,
REGISTRAR AND DISPUTED DOMAIN
NAME
The domain name at issue is <purejell.com>, registered with Godaddy.com, Inc.
The undersigned certifies that he has acted independently and impartially and to the best of his knowledge has no known conflict in serving as Panelist in this proceeding.
James A. Carmody, Esq., as Panelist.
Complainant submitted a Complaint to the National Arbitration Forum electronically on December 31, 2008; the National Arbitration Forum received a hard copy of the Complaint on January 2, 2009.
On December 31, 2008, Godaddy.com, Inc. confirmed by e-mail to the National Arbitration Forum that the <purejell.com> domain name is registered with Godaddy.com, Inc. and that 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 January 6, 2009, a Notification of
Complaint and Commencement of Administrative Proceeding (the "Commencement
Notification"), setting a deadline of January 26, 2009
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@purejell.com by e-mail.
Having received no response from Respondent, the National Arbitration Forum transmitted to the parties a Notification of Respondent Default.
On January 31, 2009, pursuant to Complainant's request to have the dispute decided by a single-member Panel, the National Arbitration Forum appointed James A. Carmody, Esq., as Panelist.
Having reviewed the communications records, the Administrative Panel (the "Panel") finds that the National Arbitration Forum has discharged its responsibility under Paragraph 2(a) of the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Rules") "to employ reasonably available means calculated to achieve actual notice to Respondent." Therefore, the Panel may issue its decision based on the documents submitted and in accordance with the ICANN Policy, ICANN Rules, the National Arbitration Forum's Supplemental Rules and any rules and principles of law that the Panel deems applicable, without the benefit of any response from Respondent.
Complainant requests that the domain name be transferred from Respondent to Complainant.
A. Complainant makes the following assertions:
1. Respondent’s <purejell.com> domain name is confusingly similar to Complainant’s PURELL mark.
2. Respondent does not have any rights or legitimate interests in the <purejell.com> domain name.
3. Respondent registered and used the <purejell.com> domain name in bad faith.
B. Respondent failed to submit a Response in this proceeding.
Complainant, Johnson & Johnson, is engaged in the development, manufacture, and sale of a variety of over-the-counter personal and healthcare products. Complainant utilizes the PURELL mark for numerous such products, including hand-sanitizing gels, hand and lotion soap, and other related products. Complainant registered its PURELL mark numerous times with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) (i.e. Reg. No. 1,696,754 issued June 23, 1992).
Respondent registered the disputed <purejell.com> domain name on January 10, 2008. The disputed domain name resolves to a commercial website that sells counterfeit versions of Complainant’s products.
Paragraph 15(a) of 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."
In view of Respondent's failure to submit a response, the Panel shall decide this administrative proceeding on the basis of Complainant's undisputed representations pursuant to paragraphs 5(e), 14(a) and 15(a) of the Rules and draw such inferences it considers appropriate pursuant to paragraph 14(b) of the Rules. The Panel is entitled to accept all reasonable allegations and inferences set forth in the Complaint as true unless the evidence is clearly contradictory. See Vertical Solutions Mgmt., Inc. v. webnet-marketing, inc., FA 95095 (Nat. Arb. Forum July 31, 2000) (holding that the respondent’s failure to respond allows all reasonable inferences of fact in the allegations of the complaint to be deemed true); see also Talk City, Inc. v. Robertson, D2000-0009 (WIPO Feb. 29, 2000) (“In the absence of a response, it is appropriate to accept as true all allegations of the Complaint.”).
Paragraph 4(a) of the Policy requires that 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 Respondent is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which Complainant has rights; and
(2) 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.
To begin, Complainant must submit evidence of its rights in
the PURELL mark. Complainant has
provided documentation of its numerous trademark registrations of the mark with
the USPTO. Therefore, the Panel finds
this evidence to be sufficient to demonstrate Complainant’s rights in the
PURELL mark under Policy ¶ 4(a)(i). See
Respondent’s disputed <purejell.com> domain name contains Complainant’s PURELL mark with the following additions: (1) the letters “ej;” and (2) the generic top-level domain “.com.” The Panel finds that neither addition creates a meaningful distinction so as to thwart a Policy ¶ 4(a)(i) finding of confusing similarity. The addition of “ej” results in a domain name that is phonetically similar to the original mark. Therefore, the disputed domain name is confusingly similar to Complainant’s mark under Policy ¶ 4(a)(i). See Isleworth Land Co. v. Lost in Space, SA, FA 117330 (Nat. Arb. Forum Sept. 27, 2002) (“[I]t is a well established principle that generic top-level domains are irrelevant when conducting a Policy ¶ 4(a)(i) analysis.”); see also Am. Online, Inc. v. Peppler, FA 103437 (Nat. Arb. Forum Feb. 22, 2002) (finding the word “quest” and “crest” to be similar in sound and, thus, that the respondent’s <mapcrest.com> domain name and the complainant’s MAP QUEST mark are confusingly similar); see also Am. Online, Inc. v. Amigos On Line RJ, FA 115041 (Nat. Arb. Forum Aug. 28, 2002) (finding that the <aolrj.com> domain name was confusingly similar to the complainant’s AOL mark because “…the addition of a string of indiscriminate letters to a famous mark in a second level domain does not differentiate the domain name from the mark.”).
The Panel finds that Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii) has been satisfied.
Complainant has alleged that Respondent lacks rights and legitimate interests in the disputed domain name. Based upon the allegations made in the Complaint, the Panel finds that Complainant has established a prima facie case pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii), thus shifting the burden of proof to Respondent. Since Respondent has not responded to the Complaint, the Panel may presume that Respondent lacks rights and legitimate interests in the disputed domain name pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii). However, the Panel in its discretion chooses to examine the record to determine whether Respondent has any rights or legitimate interests pursuant to the factors outlined in Policy ¶ 4(c). See AOL LLC v. Gerberg, FA 780200 (Nat. Arb. Forum Sept. 25, 2006) (“Complainant must make a prima facie showing that Respondent does not have rights or legitimate interest in the subject domain names, which burden is light. If Complainant satisfies its burden, then the burden shifts to Respondent to show that it does have rights or legitimate interest in the subject domain names.”); see also Hanna-Barbera Prods., Inc. v. Entm’t Commentaries, FA 741828 (Nat. Arb. Forum Aug. 18, 2006) (holding that the complainant must first make a prima facie case that the respondent lacks rights and legitimate interests in the disputed domain name under Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii) before the burden shifts to the respondent to show that it does have rights or legitimate interests in a domain name); see also Broadcom Corp. v. Ibecom PLC, FA 361190 (Nat. Arb. Forum Dec. 22, 2004) (“Respondent’s failure to respond to the Complaint functions as an implicit admission that [Respondent] lacks rights and legitimate interests in the disputed domain name. It also allows the Panel to accept all reasonable allegations set forth…as true.”).
There is no
evidence within the record to suggest that Respondent is commonly known by the
disputed domain name. The WHOIS
information lists Respondent as “tziporah
breuer,” and Complainant does
not allege any right or permission on behalf of Respondent to use Complainant’s
mark in any fashion. The Panel therefore
finds that Respondent is not commonly known by the disputed domain name under
Policy ¶ 4(c)(ii).
See M. Shanken Commc’ns v. WORLDTRAVELERSONLINE.COM, FA
740335 (Nat. Arb. Forum Aug. 3, 2006) (finding that the respondent was not commonly
known by the <cigaraficionada.com> domain name under Policy ¶ 4(c)(ii)
based on the WHOIS information and other evidence in the record); see also
Complainant alleges that Respondent is using the disputed domain name to
sell counterfeit versions of Complainant’s products, and that such use competes
with Complainant’s retail business. The
Panel finds that this use fails to constitute a bona
fide offering of goods or services pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(c)(i) or a legitimate noncommercial or fair use pursuant to
Policy ¶ 4(c)(iii). See Summit Group, LLC v.
LSO, Ltd., FA 758981 (Nat.
Arb. Forum
Sept. 14, 2006) (finding that the respondent’s use of the complainant’s
LIFESTYLE LOUNGE mark to redirect Internet users to respondent’s own website
for commercial gain does not constitute either a bona fide offering of goods or services pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(c)(i), or a legitimate noncommercial or fair use pursuant to
Policy ¶ 4(c)(iii)); see also Hewlett-Packard Co. v.
Inversiones HP Milenium
The Panel finds that Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii) has been satisfied.
The Panel finds that Respondent’s diversionary use of the
disputed domain name to sell counterfeit versions of the products that it sells
has disrupted Complainant’s business.
The Panel therefore finds that Respondent engaged in bad faith
registration and use under Policy ¶ 4(b)(iii). See EthnicGrocer.com, Inc. v. Latingrocer.com, FA 94384 (Nat. Arb.
Forum July 7, 2000) (finding bad faith where the respondent’s sites pass users
through to the respondent’s competing business); see also Puckett, Individually v. Miller, D2000-0297 (WIPO June 12,
2000) (finding that the respondent has diverted business from the complainant
to a competitor’s website in violation of Policy ¶ 4(b)(iii)).
Respondent has created a
likelihood of confusion for commercial gain as to Complainant’s source or
affiliation with the disputed domain name and corresponding website. The Panel
therefore finds that Respondent has registered and used the disputed domain
name in bad faith under Policy ¶ 4(b)(iv). See TM Acquisition Corp. v. Carroll, FA 97035 (Nat. Arb.
Forum May 14, 2001) (finding bad faith where the respondent used the domain
name, for commercial gain, to intentionally attract users to a direct
competitor of the complainant); see also Nokia Corp. v. Private,
D2000-1271 (WIPO Nov. 3, 2000) (finding bad faith registration and use pursuant
to Policy ¶ 4(b)(iv) where the domain name resolved to
a website that offered similar products as those sold under the complainant’s
famous mark).
The Panel finds that Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii)
has been satisfied.
Having established all three elements required under the ICANN Policy, the Panel concludes that relief shall be GRANTED.
Accordingly, it is Ordered that the <purejell.com> domain name be TRANSFERRED from Respondent to Complainant.
James A. Carmody, Esq., Panelist
Dated: February 16, 2009
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