Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. LLC and Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC v. George Ring / DN Capital Inc.
Claim Number: FA1605001673825
Complainant is Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. LLC and Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC (“Complainant”), represented by J. Andrew Coombs of J. ANDREW COOMBS, A Professional Corporation, California, USA. Respondent is George Ring / DN Capital Inc. (“Respondent”), Panama.
REGISTRAR AND DISPUTED DOMAIN NAME
The domain name at issue is <lukasfilm.com>, registered with NameSilo, LLC.
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.
Sandra J. Franklin as Panelist.
Complainant submitted a Complaint to the Forum electronically on May 6, 2016; the Forum received payment on May 6, 2016.
On May 9, 2016, NameSilo, LLC confirmed by e-mail to the Forum that the <lukasfilm.com> domain name is registered with NameSilo, LLC and that Respondent is the current registrant of the name. NameSilo, LLC has verified that Respondent is bound by the NameSilo, LLC registration agreement and has thereby agreed to resolve domain disputes brought by third parties in accordance with ICANN’s Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Policy”).
On May 11, 2016, the Forum served the Complaint and all Annexes, including a Written Notice of the Complaint, setting a deadline of May 31, 2016 by which Respondent could file a Response to the Complaint, via e-mail to all entities and persons listed on Respondent’s registration as technical, administrative, and billing contacts, and to postmaster@lukasfilm.com. Also on May 11, 2016, the Written Notice of the Complaint, notifying Respondent of the e-mail addresses served and the deadline for a Response, was transmitted to Respondent via post and fax, to all entities and persons listed on Respondent’s registration as technical, administrative and billing contacts.
Having received no response from Respondent, the Forum transmitted to the parties a Notification of Respondent Default.
On June 3, 2016, pursuant to Complainant's request to have the dispute decided by a single-member Panel, the Forum appointed Sandra J. Franklin as Panelist.
Having reviewed the communications records, the Administrative Panel (the "Panel") finds that the 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" through submission of Electronic and Written Notices, as defined in Rule 1 and Rule 2. Therefore, the Panel may issue its decision based on the documents submitted and in accordance with the ICANN Policy, ICANN Rules, the 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
1. Respondent’s <lukasfilm.com> domain name is confusingly similar to Complainant’s LUCASFILM mark.
2. Respondent does not have any rights or legitimate interests in the <lukasfilm.com> domain name.
3. Respondent registered and uses the <lukasfilm.com> domain name in bad faith.
B. Respondent failed to submit a Response in this proceeding.
Complainant uses the LUCASFILM mark in connection with its film franchises. Complainant has registered the LUCASFILM mark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) (Reg. No. 2,639,887, registered Oct. 22, 2002).
Respondent registered the <lukasfilm.com> domain name on May 15, 2014, and uses it to resolve to a website displaying hyperlinks, some of which appear to link to Complainant or its competitors.
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."
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.
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(f), 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 (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.”).
Preliminary Issue: Multiple Complainants
The relevant rules governing multiple complainants are UDRP Rule 3(a) and the Forum’s Supplemental Rule 1(e). UDRP Rule 3(a) states, “Any person or entity may initiate an administrative proceeding by submitting a complaint.” The Forum’s Supplemental Rule 1(e) defines “The Party Initiating a Complaint Concerning a Domain Name Registration” as a “single person or entity claiming to have rights in the domain name, or multiple persons or entities who have a sufficient nexus who can each claim to have rights to all domain names listed in the Complaint.”
There are two Complainants in this matter: Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. LLC and Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC. Complainants state that they are affiliated companies, and include Exhibit L, which contains corporate information for Complainants.
Previous panels have interpreted the Forum’s Supplemental Rule 1(e) to allow multiple parties to proceed as one party where they can show a sufficient link to each other. For example, in Vancouver Org. Comm. for the 2010 Olympic and Paralymic Games & Int’l Olympic Comm. v. Malik, FA 666119 (Forum May 12, 2006), the panel stated:
It has been accepted that it is permissible for two complainants to submit a single complaint if they can demonstrate a link between the two entities such as a relationship involving a license, a partnership or an affiliation that would establish the reason for the parties bringing the complaint as one entity.
In Tasty Baking, Co. & Tastykake Invs., Inc. v. Quality Hosting, FA 208854 (Forum Dec. 28, 2003), the panel treated the two complainants as a single entity where both parties held rights in trademarks contained within the disputed domain names. Likewise, in Am. Family Health Srvs. Group, LLC v. Logan, FA 220049 (Forum Feb. 6, 2004), the panel found a sufficient link between the complainants where there was a license between the parties regarding use of the TOUGHLOVE mark. But see AmeriSource Corp. v. Park, FA 99134 (Forum Nov. 5, 2001) (“This Panel finds it difficult to hold that a domain name that may belong to AmerisourceBergen Corporation (i.e., the subject Domain Names) should belong to AmeriSource Corporation because they are affiliated companies.”).
The Panel finds that there is a sufficient nexus between the Complainants, and elects to treat them as a single entity in this proceeding. The Complainants will be collectively referred to as “Complainant.”
The Panel finds that Complainant has demonstrated rights in the LUCASFILM mark under Policy ¶ 4(a)(i) through its registration with the USPTO. Panels have found registration with the USPTO to be sufficient to establish rights in a trademark, even where the Respondent operates in a different country. See Advance Auto Parts, Inc. d/b/a Advance Auto Innovations, LLC v. Privacy Ltd. Disclosed Agent for YOLAPT / Domain Admin, FA 1625582 (Forum July 23, 2015) (holding that Complainant’s USPTO registration is sufficient under Policy ¶ 4(a)(i), even though Respondent reportedly resides in the Isle of Man).
Respondent’s <lukasfilm.com> domain name incorporates the LUCASFILM mark and merely substitutes a phonetically identical “k” for the “c,” and adds the gTLD “.com.” Panels have found such alterations to marks to be insufficient in overcoming a finding of confusing similarity under Policy ¶ 4(a)(i). See Vivendi Universal Games, Inc. v. Cupcake Patrol, FA 196245 (Forum Oct. 31, 2003) (“Respondent's <blizzerd.com> domain name is confusingly similar to Complainant's BLIZZARD mark. The replacement of the letter 'a' in Complainant's BLIZZARD mark with the letter 'e' creates a domain name that is phonetically identical and confusingly similar to Complainant's mark.”); see also Jerry Damson, Inc. v. Tex. Int’l Prop. Assocs., FA 916991 (Forum Apr. 10, 2007) (“The mere addition of a generic top-level domain (“gTLD”) “.com” does not serve to adequately distinguish the Domain Name from the mark.”). Thus, the Panel finds that Respondent’s <lukasfilm.com> domain name is confusingly similar to Complainant’s LUCASFILM mark.
The Panel finds that Complainant has satisfied Policy ¶ 4(a)(i).
Once Complainant makes a prima facie case that Respondent lacks rights and legitimate interests in the disputed domain name under Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii), the burden shifts to Respondent to show it does have rights or legitimate interests. See Hanna-Barbera Prods., Inc. v. Entm’t Commentaries, FA 741828 (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 UDRP ¶ 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 AOL LLC v. Gerberg, FA 780200 (Forum Sept. 25, 2006) (“Complainant must first 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 interests in the subject domain names.”).
Complainant argues that Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the <lukasfilm.com> domain name, and is not commonly known by the disputed domain name. The WHOIS information for the disputed domain name lists “George Ring” as the registrant. Complainant states that it has not given Respondent permission to use its LUKASFILM mark. Therefore, in light of the available evidence, the Panel finds that Respondent is not commonly known by the disputed domain name pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(c)(ii). See Braun Corp. v. Loney, FA 699652 (Forum July 7, 2006) (concluding that the respondent was not commonly known by the disputed domain names where the WHOIS information, as well as all other information in the record, gave no indication that the respondent was commonly known by the domain names, and the complainant had not authorized the respondent to register a domain name containing its registered mark).
Complainant also argues that Respondent is not making a bona fide offering of goods or services or a legitimate noncommercial or fair use of the <lukasfilm.com> domain name. Complainant contends that the <lukasfilm.com> domain name resolves to an inactive website. The Panel notes, however, Complainant’s exhibit showing that the disputed domain name appears to direct users to competing hyperlinks including “ABC Star Wars” and “Animation Film.” Panels have found that both inactive holding of a domain name and using it to host competing hyperlinks do not constitute a bona fide offering of goods or services or a legitimate noncommercial or fair use under Policy ¶¶ 4(c)(i) and (iii). See Hewlett-Packard Co. v. Shemesh, FA 434145 (Forum Apr. 20, 2005) (finding that a respondent’s non-use of a domain name that is identical to a complainant’s mark is not 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 Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc. v. domain admin / private registrations aktien gesellschaft, FA1506001626253 (Forum July 29, 2015) (“Respondent is using the disputed domain name to resolve to a web page containing advertising links to products that compete with those of Complainant. The Panel finds that this does not constitute a bona fide offering or a legitimate noncommercial or fair use.”). Therefore, the Panel finds that Respondent is not making a bona fide offering of goods or services or a legitimate noncommercial or fair use of the <lukasfilm.com> domain name under Policy ¶¶ 4(c)(i) and (iii).
Complainant further contends that Respondent is engaged in typosquatting, which provides additional evidence that Respondent lacks rights and legitimate interests in the <lukasfilm.com> domain name. See IndyMac Bank F.S.B. v. Ebeyer, FA 175292 (Forum Sept. 19, 2003) (finding that the respondent lacked rights and legitimate interests in the disputed domain names because it “engaged in the practice of typosquatting by taking advantage of Internet users who attempt to access Complainant's <indymac.com> website but mistakenly misspell Complainant's mark by typing the letter ‘x’ instead of the letter ‘c’”). Thus, the Panel finds that Respondent’s typosquatting is further evidence of a lack of rights or legitimate interests in the <lukasfilm.com> domain name.
The Panel finds that Complainant has satisfied Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii).
The Panel notes that Respondent solicited Complainant with an offer to sell the domain name for $2,799 on a domain name sale website. Panels have found offers to sell a disputed domain name for an excess of out-of-pocket costs to be evidence of bad faith registration and use under Policy ¶ 4(b)(i). See Towmaster, Inc. v. Hale, FA 973506 (Forum June 4, 2007) (“Respondent is advertising the <bigtow.com> domain name for sale for $5,000. Furthermore, Respondent offered to sell the disputed domain name to Complainant for $4,000. The Panel finds that these offers to sell the disputed domain name constitute bad faith registration and use pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(b)(i).”). Therefore, the Panel finds that Respondent’s registration and use of the <lukasfilm.com> domain name constitutes bad faith under Policy ¶ 4(b)(i).
The Panel also finds that Respondent’s registration and use of the disputed domain name is a disruption of Complainant’s business under Policy ¶ 4(b)(iii). Prior panels have found both inactive holding of domain names and the hosting of competing hyperlinks to demonstrate bad faith disruption pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(b)(iii). See Lenovo (Beijing) Limited Corporation China v. jeonggon seo, FA1411001591638 (Forum Jan. 16, 2015) (finding that where the complainant operated in the computer industry and the respondent used the disputed domain name to offer competing computer related links, the respondent was disrupting the complainant’s business offerings in violation of Policy ¶ 4(b)(iii)); see also Marsh Supermarkets Company, LLC, formerly known as Marsh Supermarkets, Inc. v. Choi Sungyeon, FA1312001532854 (Forum Feb. 25, 2014) (“Therefore, the Panel finds that Respondent registered and is using the <marshsupermarkets.com> domain name in bad faith pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii) because Respondent has failed to make an active use of the disputed domain name.”).
Complainant contends that, in light of the fame and notoriety of Complainant's LUCASFILM mark, it is inconceivable that Respondent could have registered the <lukasfilm.com> domain name without actual knowledge of Complainant's rights in the mark. The Panel agrees with and finds that Respondent had actual knowledge of Complainant's rights in the mark prior to registering the disputed domain name, bad faith under Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii). See Univision Comm'cns Inc. v. Norte, FA 1000079 (Forum Aug. 16, 2007) (rejecting the respondent's contention that it did not register the disputed domain name in bad faith since the panel found that the respondent had knowledge of the complainant's rights in the UNIVISION mark when registering the disputed domain name).
Finally, the Panel finds that Respondent’s typosquatting is additional evidence of bad faith under Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii). See Gap Inc. and its subsidiary, Old Navy (Apparel), LLC v. Jiri Capcuch, FA1405001562139 (Forum July 2, 2014) (“Respondent adds an additional letter ‘v’ to Complainant’s OLD NAVY mark in the <oldnavvy.com> domain name, a classic example of typosquatting. Respondent’s typosquatting is, in itself, evidence of bad faith under Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii).”).
The Panel finds that Complainant has satisfied Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii).
Having established all three elements required under the ICANN Policy, the Panel concludes that relief shall be GRANTED.
Accordingly, it is Ordered that the <lukasfilm.com> domain name be TRANSFERRED from Respondent to Complainant.
Sandra J. Franklin, Panelist
Dated: June 7, 2016
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