national arbitration forum

 

DECISION

 

Missouri Department of Transportation v. Gioacchino Zerbo

Claim Number: FA0710001087660

 

PARTIES

Complainant is Missouri Department of Transportation (“Complainant”), represented by Glenn K. Robbins, of Spencer Fane Britt & Browne LLP, 1 N. Brentwood Blvd. Suite 1000, St. Louis, MO 63105.  Respondent is Gioacchino Zerbo (“Respondent”), Via Gaggio 55, Senna Comasco, CO 22070 IT.

 

REGISTRAR AND DISPUTED DOMAIN NAME

The domain name at issue is <modot.com>, registered with Dotster.

 

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.

 

Judge Harold Kalina (Ret.) as Panelist.

 

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Complainant submitted a Complaint to the National Arbitration Forum electronically on October 2, 2007; the National Arbitration Forum received a hard copy of the Complaint on October 3, 2007.

 

On October 3, 2007, Dotster confirmed by e-mail to the National Arbitration Forum that the <modot.com> domain name is registered with Dotster and that Respondent is the current registrant of the name.  Dotster has verified that Respondent is bound by the Dotster 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 October 10, 2007, a Notification of Complaint and Commencement of Administrative Proceeding (the "Commencement Notification"), setting a deadline of October 30, 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@modot.com by e-mail.

 

Having received no response from Respondent, the National Arbitration Forum transmitted to the parties a Notification of Respondent Default.

 

On November 6, 2007, pursuant to Complainant's request to have the dispute decided by a single-member Panel, the National Arbitration Forum appointed Judge Harold Kalina (Ret.) 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.

 

RELIEF SOUGHT

Complainant requests that the domain name be transferred from Respondent to Complainant.

 

PARTIES' CONTENTIONS

A.  Complainant makes the following assertions:

 

1.      Respondent’s <modot.com> domain name is identical to Complainant’s MODOT mark.

 

2.      Respondent does not have any rights or legitimate interests in the <modot.com> domain name.

 

3.      Respondent registered and used the <modot.com> domain name in bad faith.

 

B.  Respondent failed to submit a Response in this proceeding.

 

FINDINGS

Complainant is a governmental agency authorized under the State of Missouri to manage the state’s 32,000 mile highway system.  In 1913, the Missouri State Highway Department was created, followed by the creation of the Missouri Department of Transportation in 1974.  The two agencies merged on January 1, 1980 as the Missouri Highways and Transportation Department, and, in 1996, the agency was renamed to reflect Complainant’s current official name, “Missouri Department of Transportation.”  Complainant has operated under the MODOT mark continuously since 1996, when Complainant first started operating a website at the <modot.state.mo.us> domain name.  On January 9, 2001, Complainant also registered the <modot.org> domain name and began providing content at the website located there.  Complainant also operates a website at the <modot.gov> domain name, which was registered in 2005.  Complainant has displayed its MODOT mark on its websites since 1996.

 

Respondent registered the <modot.com> domain name on April 26, 2002.  The disputed domain name resolves to a website that appears to be connected with Complainant as Complainant’s MODOT mark is prominently displayed on all of the pages.  The website provides hyperlinks to various webpages containing information that misleadingly appears to be associated or sponsored by Complainant, but is not.

 

DISCUSSION

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.

 

Identical and/or Confusingly Similar

 

Policy ¶ 4(a)(i) does not require that Complainant hold a registration with a governmental agency to establish rights in the MODOT mark.  See McCarthy on Trademarks and Unfair Competition, § 25:74.2 (4th ed. 2002) (The ICANN dispute resolution policy is “broad in scope” in that “the reference to a trademark or service mark ‘in which the complainant has rights’ means that ownership of a registered mark is not required–unregistered or common law trademark or service mark rights will suffice” to support a domain name complaint under the Policy); see also Great Plains Metromall, LLC v. Creach, FA 97044 (Nat. Arb. Forum May 18, 2001) (“The Policy does not require that a trademark be registered by a governmental authority for such rights to exist.”).

 

Complainant has established sufficient common law rights in the MODOT mark dating back to 1996 as it has continuously and extensively used the mark in connection with its services.  Complainant was authorized and created by the State of Missouri and is well recognized under its MODOT mark as the agency associated with managing Missouri’s highway system.  Further, the mark has been associated with Complainant’s websites since 1996.  Accordingly, the Panel finds that Complainant’s MODOT mark has acquired secondary meaning sufficient to establish Complainant’s right in the mark.  See Tuxedos By Rose v. Nunez, FA 95248 (Nat. Arb. Forum Aug. 17, 2000) (finding common law rights in a mark where its use was continuous and ongoing, and secondary meaning was established); see also Nat’l Ass’n of Prof’l Baseball Leagues v. Zuccarini, D2002-1011 (WIPO Jan. 21, 2003) (finding that the complainant had provided evidence that it had valuable goodwill in the <minorleaguebaseball.com> domain name, establishing common law rights in the MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL mark).

 

The disputed domain name simply adds the generic top-level domain “.com” to the end of Complainant’s mark.  This addition fails to distinguish the disputed domain name from Complainant’s mark.  Accordingly, the Panel concludes that the disputed domain name is identical to Complainant’s mark.  See Pomellato S.p.A v. Tonetti, D2000-0493 (WIPO July 7, 2000) (finding <pomellato.com> identical to the complainant’s mark because the generic top-level domain (gTLD) “.com” after the name POMELLATO is not relevant); see also Snow Fun, Inc. v. O'Connor, FA 96578 (Nat. Arb. Forum Mar. 8, 2001) (finding that the domain name <termquote.com> is identical to the complainant’s TERMQUOTE mark).

 

The Panel finds that Complainant has satisfied Policy ¶ 4(a)(i).

 

Rights or Legitimate Interests

 

Complainant’s allegation that Respondent lacks all rights and legitimate interests in the disputed domain name is enough to satisfy its prima facie burden.  The Panel concludes that Complainant has adequately met Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii)’s requirement so that the burden shifts to Respondent to show that rights or legitimate interests exist.  See Do The Hustle, LLC v. Tropic Web, D2000-0624 (WIPO Aug. 21, 2000) (holding that, where the complainant has asserted that the respondent has no rights or legitimate interests with respect to the domain name, it is incumbent on the respondent to come forward with concrete evidence rebutting this assertion because this information is “uniquely within the knowledge and control of the respondent”); see also Clerical Med. Inv. Group Ltd. v. Clericalmedical.com, D2000-1228 (WIPO Nov. 28, 2000) (finding that, under certain circumstances, the mere assertion by the complainant that the respondent has no right or legitimate interest is sufficient to shift the burden of proof to the respondent to demonstrate that such a right or legitimate interest does exist).

 

Respondent did not submit a Response in this proceeding.  Respondent’s lack of response permits the Panel to conclude that Complainant’s accusations are accurate, and Respondent lacks all rights and legitimate interests in the disputed domain name.  See Talk City, Inc. v. Robertson, D2000-0009 (WIPO Feb. 29, 2000) (“Given Respondent’s failure to submit a substantive answer in a timely fashion, the Panel accepts as true all of the allegations of the complaint.”); see also Bank of Am. Corp. v. McCall, FA 135012 (Nat. Arb. Forum Dec. 31, 2002) (“Respondent's failure to respond not only results in its failure to meet its burden, but also will be viewed as evidence itself that Respondent lacks rights and legitimate interests in the disputed domain name.”).  The Panel will, however, examine the evidence to determine if Respondent holds rights or legitimate interests under Policy ¶ 4(c).

 

Nothing in the record, including the WHOIS record, persuades the Panel that Respondent is commonly known by the disputed domain name.  Accordingly, the Panel determines that Respondent is unable to assert rights or legitimate interests under Policy ¶ 4(c)(ii).  See Tercent Inc. v. Lee Yi, FA 139720 (Nat. Arb. Forum Feb. 10, 2003) (stating “nothing in Respondent’s WHOIS information implies that Respondent is ‘commonly known by’ the disputed domain name” as one factor in determining that Policy ¶ 4(c)(ii) does not apply); see also Wells Fargo & Co. v. Onlyne Corp. Services11, Inc., FA 198969 (Nat. Arb. Forum Nov. 17, 2003) (“Given the WHOIS contact information for the disputed domain [name], one can infer that Respondent, Onlyne Corporate Services11, is not commonly known by the name ‘welsfargo’ in any derivation.”).

 

Further, Respondent is using the website to pass itself off as Complainant by displaying Complainant’s mark and logo, without authorization from Complainant, along with hyperlinks to third-party websites not associated with Complainant.  The Panel finds this behavior inconsistent with either a Policy ¶ 4(c)(i) bona fide offering of goods or services or a Policy ¶ 4(c)(iii) legitimate noncommercial or fair use.  See Am. Int’l Group, Inc. v. Busby, FA 156251 (Nat. Arb. Forum May 30, 2003) (finding that the respondent attempts to pass itself off as the complainant online, which is blatant unauthorized use of the complainant’s mark and is evidence that the respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name); see also Bank of Am. Corp. v. Nw. Free Cmty. Access, FA 180704 (Nat. Arb. Forum Sept. 30, 2003) (“Respondent's demonstrated intent to divert Internet users seeking Complainant's website to a website of Respondent and for Respondent's benefit is not a bona fide offering of goods or services under Policy ¶ 4(c)(i) and it is not a legitimate noncommercial or fair use under Policy ¶ 4(c)(iii).”).

 

The Panel finds that Complainant has satisfied Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii).

 

Registration and Use in Bad Faith

 

The website located at the disputed domain name appears to be affiliated with Complainant.  Not only does the disputed domain name incorporate Complainant’s mark, but the website also displays Complainant’s logo.  The hyperlinks displayed on the website link to information that misleadingly appears to be provided by Complainant, but the hyperlinks are actually to third-party websites having no association with Complainant.  The Panel finds Respondent’s attempt to pass itself off as Complainant is indicative of bad faith use and registration under Policy ¶ 4(a).  See Target Brands, Inc. v. JK Internet Servs., FA 349108 (Nat. Arb. Forum Dec. 14, 2004) (finding bad faith because the respondent not only registered Complainant’s famous TARGET mark, but “reproduced . . . Complainant’s TARGET mark . . . [and] added Complainant’s distinctive red bull’s eye [at the domain name] . . . to a point of being indistinguishable from the original.”); see also Bank of Am. Corp. v. Out Island Props., Inc., FA 154531 (Nat. Arb. Forum June 3, 2003) (stating that “[s]ince the disputed domain names contain entire versions of Complainant’s marks and are used for something completely unrelated to their descriptive quality, a consumer searching for Complainant would become confused as to Complainant’s affiliation with the resulting search engine website” in holding that the domain names were registered and used in bad faith pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(b)(iv)).

 

Specifically, Respondent’s use of the disputed domain name is likely to cause confusion for Internet users seeking out Complainant’s services as to the source of and Complainant’s association with the disputed domain name presumably for Complainant’s financial gain.  The Panel concludes that this likelihood of confusion is evidence of bad faith registration and use pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(b)(iv).  See Bank of Am. Corp. v. Out Island Props., Inc., FA 154531 (Nat. Arb. Forum June 3, 2003) (stating that “[s]ince the disputed domain names contain entire versions of Complainant’s marks and are used for something completely unrelated to their descriptive quality, a consumer searching for Complainant would become confused as to Complainant’s affiliation with the resulting search engine website” in holding that the domain names were registered and used in bad faith pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(b)(iv)); see also Am. Univ. v. Cook, FA 208629 (Nat. Arb. Forum Dec. 22, 2003) (“Registration and use of a domain name that incorporates another's mark with the intent to deceive Internet users in regard to the source or affiliation of the domain name is evidence of bad faith.”).

 

The Panel finds that Complainant has satisfied Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii).

 

DECISION

Having established all three elements required under the ICANN Policy, the Panel concludes that relief shall be GRANTED.

 

Accordingly, it is Ordered that the <modot.com> domain name be TRANSFERRED from Respondent to Complainant.

      

 

Judge Harold Kalina (Ret.), Panelist

Dated: November 19, 2007

 

Click Here to return to the main Domain Decisions Page.

 

Click Here to return to our Home Page

 

National Arbitration Forum