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ARBITRATIONANDMEDIATION CENTER

ADMINISTRATIVE PANEL DECISION

Squirrels LLC v. Giorgio Uzonian

Case No. D2014-1434

1. The Parties

Complainant is Squirrels LLC o Nort! Canton" #!io" Unite$ States o %meri&a" represente$ '( )al*er +

,o&*e" Unite$ States o %meri&a.

espon$ent is Giorgio Uzonian o Los %ngeles" Caliornia" Unite$ States o %meri&a" represente$ '( ,o!n

err(!ill" /!.D." sq." Unite$ States o %meri&a.

2. The Domain Name and Registrar

!e $ispute$ $omain name squirrels.&om is registere$ it! eNom 5t!e 6egistrar78.

. Pro!ed"ra# $istor%

!e Complaint as ile$ it! t!e )9/# %r'itration an$ :e$iation Center 5t!e 6Center78 on %ugust 21" 2014.

#n %ugust 21" 2014" t!e Center transmitte$ '( email to t!e egistrar a request or registrar verii&ation in

&onne&tion it! t!e $ispute$ $omain name. #n %ugust 22" 2014" t!e egistrar transmitte$ '( email to t!e

Center its verii&ation response &onirming t!at espon$ent is liste$ as t!e registrant an$ provi$ing t!e

&onta&t $etails.

!e Center veriie$ t!at t!e Complaint satisie$ t!e ormal requirements o t!e Uniorm Domain NameDispute esolution /oli&( 5t!e 6/oli&(7 or 6UD/78" t!e ules or Uniorm Domain Name Dispute esolution

/oli&( 5t!e 6ules78" an$ t!e )9/# Supplemental ules or Uniorm Domain Name Dispute esolution /oli&(

5t!e 6Supplemental ules78.

9n a&&or$an&e it! t!e ules" paragrap!s 25a8 an$ 45a8" t!e Center ormall( notiie$ espon$ent o t!e

Complaint" an$ t!e pro&ee$ing &ommen&e$ on %ugust 2;" 2014. 9n a&&or$an&e it! t!e ules" paragrap!


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&. 'a!t"a# Ba!(gro"nd

Complainant is t!e provi$er o a e'site in t!e iel$ o &omputer sotare an$ relate$ te&!nolog(. o t!is

en$" in 2014" Complainant registere$ a Unite$ States tra$emar* or S?U9LS" egistration No. 4


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a&t" use in its normal $i&tionar( as!ion. Spe&ii&all(" alt!oug! espon$ent uses t!e $ispute$ $omain name

to !ost sponsore$ lin*s" man( o t!ese relate in various a(s to squirrels" !i&! s!os t!at espon$ent in

a&t is using t!e term in its $i&tionar( sense. Einall(" espon$ent notes t!at t!ere are various UD/

$e&isions up!ol$ing rig!ts '( respon$ents in $i&tionar( or$s" parti&ularl( !ere t!e( are registere$ 'eore a

mar* is o'taine$ '( Complainant" an$ t!at negotiations on su&! registrations ma( in$ee$ eB&ee$ registration

&osts.

,. Dis!"ssion and 'indings

A. Identi!a# or Con-"sing#% Simi#ar

!is /anel must irst $etermine !et!er squirrels.&om is i$enti&al or &onusingl( similar to a tra$emar* or

servi&e mar* in !i&! Complainant !as rig!ts in a&&or$an&e it! paragrap! 45a85i8 o t!e /oli&(. !e /anel

in$s t!at it is. !e $ispute$ $omain name in&orporates in its entiret( ComplainantAs registere$ tra$emar*

S?U9LS" it! no a$$itional matter" merel( a$$ing t!e top level $omain name" 6.&om7. /anels !ave

oun$ or &omplainants on t!is irst element !ere t!e( $emonstrate rig!ts in t!e eBa&t term s!on in t!e

$ispute$ $omain name" even !ere t!e term is a $i&tionar( or $es&riptive or$. SeeLibro AG v. NA Global

Link Limited")9/# Case No. D2000-01;F 5$is&usse$ 'elo8 Newstoday Printers and Publishers (P) Ltd. v.

InetU, In.")9/# Case No. D2001-00;< 5$is&usse$ 'elo8.

!is /anel t!ereore in$s t!at t!e $ispute$ $omain name is i$enti&al or &onusingl( similar to a tra$emar* in

!i&! Complainant !as rig!ts in a&&or$an&e it! paragrap! 45a85i8 o t!e /oli&(.

B. Rights or Legitimate Interests

!e /anel neBt &onsi$ers !et!er Complainant !as s!on t!at espon$ent !as no 6rig!ts or legitimate

interests7 as must 'e proven to su&&ee$ in a UD/ $ispute. /aragrap! 45&8 o t!e /oli&( gives eBamples

t!at ma( s!o rig!ts or legitimate interests in a $omain name. !ese eBamples in&lu$e 5i8 use o t!e

$omain name 6in &onne&tion it! a bona !ideoering o goo$s or servi&es7 5ii8 $emonstration t!atrespon$ent !as 'een 6&ommonl( *non '( t!e $omain name7 or 5iii8 6legitimate non&ommer&ial or air use

o t!e $omain name" it!out intent or &ommer&ial gain to mislea$ingl( $ivert &onsumers or to tarnis! t!e

tra$emar* or servi&e mar* at issue7.

espon$ent uses t!e UL asso&iate$ it! t!e $ispute$ $omain name to resolve to a par*e$ e' page it!

sponsore$ lin*s. :an( o t!ese lin*s are or goo$s an$ servi&es spe&ii&all( relate$ to 6squirrels"7 as t!at

or$ is use$ in its $i&tionar( sense. espon$ent !as provi$e$ evi$en&e $ating 'a&* several (ears to s!o

su&! lin*s in&lu$ing eBamples su&! as 6Stop Squirrels7" 6Squirrel Control7" 6a'( Squirrels7 an$ 6>o to Get

i$ o Squirrels.7 UD/ panels in &ases it! similar a&t patterns !ave oun$ or respon$ents on t!e se&on$

element" in$ing t!at 6HiIt is ell settle$ t!at a respon$ent ma( !ave a rig!t to register an$ use a $omain

name to attra&t 9nternet trai& 'ase$ on t!e appeal o a &ommonl( use$ $es&riptive p!rase" even !ere t!e$omain name is i$enti&al or &onusingl( similar to t!e tra$e mar* o a &omplainant" provi$e$ it !as not 'een

registere$ it! t!e H&IomplainantAs tra$e mar* in min$.7 See Admiral Insurane Servies Limited v. "r. Adam

#iker" )9/# Case. No. D200


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C. Registered and sed in Bad 'aith

%lt!oug! t!e /anelAs in$ing or espon$ent on t!e se&on$ element pre&lu$es Complainant rom prevailing

in t!is pro&ee$ing" t!e /anel in$s it appropriate to $is&uss t!e issue o 'a$ ait! 'e&ause it is relevant to t!e

/anelAs assessment o everse Domain Name >iJa&*ing.

Complainant alleges t!at espon$ent registere$ an$ use$ t!e $omain name in 'a$ ait!" &itingparagrap! 45'85iv8 o t!e /oli&(. 9t &laims" or eBample" t!at espon$ent ons multiple $omain registrations

an$ t!at espon$ent 6registere$ or . . . a&quire$ t!e $omain name primaril( or t!e purpose o selling . . . or

valua'le &onsi$eration in eB&ess o . . . $o&umente$ out-o-po&*et &osts"7 in a s!oing o 'a$ ait! as

&ontemplate$ '( paragrap! 5485'85i8 o t!e /oli&(.

>oever" as pointe$ out '( espon$ent" espon$ent registere$ t!e $ispute$ $omain name more t!an a

$e&a$e prior to ComplainantAs registration o its mar*s" an$ more t!an a $e&a$e prior to its allegation o

&ommon la use. 9n similar &ases" UD/ panels !ave oun$ no 'a$ ait! registration !ere a respon$ent

registere$ t!e $ispute$ $omain name prior to t!e time t!at &omplainant a&quire$ rig!ts to a mar*. See Libro

AG v. NA Global Link Limited"su%ra" 5$en(ing transer o li'ro.&om in$ing 6it is not li*el( t!at t!at

HrIespon$ent !as &!osen t!e $omain name it! t!e intent to proit or ot!erise a'use &omplainantAs

tra$emar*s78. 9n su&! &ases" panels !ave also oun$ t!at" !ere a respon$ent one$ a $omain name in

!i&! it !a$ a legitimate interest" sin&e it registere$ t!e $omain name prior to t!e &reation o tra$emar*

rig!ts" an$ !ere it &onsistentl( use$ t!e $omain name or its value as a &ommon $i&tionar( or$ an$ not or

its value as a tra$emar*" t!e oer '( a respon$ent to sell su&! a $omain name is not '( itsel evi$en&e o

'a$ ait! use. See Newstoday Printers and Publishers (P) Ltd. v. InetU, In."su%ra"5$en(ing transer o

nesto$a(.&om noting t!at t!e respon$ent !as a legitimate 'usiness 6HeIven i t!at 'usiness" in t!e

relevant &onteBt !ere" ere to &omprise t!e registration" or sale" o generi& $omain names" eit!er generall(

or to its &ustomers" t!at oul$ not 'e an illegitimate use o t!e $omain name78.

!e &ase !ere is analogous to t!ose &ite$. espon$entAs oners!ip an$ oer to sell t!e $ispute$ $omain

name !i&! it use$ to oer lin*s to a$s relate$ to squirrels in t!e $i&tionar( sense is not an illegitimate use

an$ $oes not &onstitute 'a$ ait! use. Eurt!er" t!e a&t t!at espon$ent registere$ t!e $ispute$ $omainname at least 14 (ears prior to ComplainantAs tra$emar* registration o t!e term $emonstrates t!at !e $i$ not

register t!e $omain name in 'a$ ait!. Nor is t!ere evi$en&e to t!e ee&t t!at espon$ent renee$ t!e

$omain name registration an$ t!ereater &!ange$ its use o t!e $omain name to ta*e a$vantage o t!e

tra$emar* value o t!e $omain name" in !i&! &ase /oli&(" paragrap! 45'85iv8 ma( !ave oun$ appli&ation.

&!. 'i &or%. v. *yeAim.om + oy $an" N%E Claim No. 1


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