Ferring Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. v. Shangyi Wu
Claim Number: FA0812001240127
PARTIES
Complainant is Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Complainant”), represented by Arne
M. Olson, of Olson & Cepuritis, Ltd.,
REGISTRAR AND DISPUTED DOMAIN NAME
The domain name at issue is <prosed.com>, registered with Godaddy.com,
Inc.
PANEL
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.
Terry F. Peppard as Panelist.
PROCEDURAL HISTORY
Complainant submitted a Complaint to the National Arbitration Forum
electronically on December 29, 2008; the
National Arbitration Forum received a hard copy of the Complaint on December 30, 2008.
On December 29, 2008, Godaddy.com, Inc. confirmed by e-mail to the
National Arbitration Forum that the <prosed.com> domain name is
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 January 2, 2009, a
Notification of Complaint and Commencement of Administrative Proceeding (the
“Commencement Notification”), setting a deadline of January 22, 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@prosed.com by e-mail.
A timely Response was received and determined to be complete on January 26, 2009.
On January 30, 2009, pursuant to Complainant’s
request to have the dispute decided by a single-member Panel, the National
Arbitration Forum appointed Terry F. Peppard as sole Panelist in this proceeding.
RELIEF SOUGHT
Complainant requests that the domain name be transferred from
Respondent to Complainant.
PARTIES’ CONTENTIONS
A. Complainant
Complainant owns
The <prosed.com> domain name was originally owned by
Complainant and its predecessor in interest; however, the registration of this
domain name was inadvertently allowed to lapse, and the domain name was
thereafter registered by Respondent.
Respondent’s domain name <prosed.com> is
confusingly similar to Complainant’s PROSED trademark.
Complainant has never authorized, contracted, licensed or otherwise
permitted Respondent in any way to use its registered trademark for any domain
name incorporating PROSED or any variation thereof.
Respondent has not been commonly known by the name PROSED.
Respondent has not been using the domain name in connection with a bona
fide offering of goods or services.
The web site resolving from the disputed domain name is a generic
“parking” page provided by a domain name registrar.
The same page also claims that “This domain is for sale!” and provides
a link to a site where Internet users can bid to purchase the domain.
Respondent has no legitimate right to or legal interest in the disputed
domain name.
Respondent is relying on the goodwill associated with Complainant’s
PROSED mark to attract Internet users to its website for the purpose of
acquiring commercial gain from related advertisements, which use constitutes
bad faith registration and use of the domain.
B. Respondent
Respondent recently purchased the contested domain name in an on-line
auction without knowing that it was associated with a registered trademark.
Respondent is “willing to transfer the domain name registration to
Complainant.”
DISCUSSION
Paragraph 4(a) of the Policy requires that, in the ordinary course,
Complainant must prove each of the following to obtain from a Panel an order
that a domain name be transferred:
i.
the
domain name registered by Respondent is identical or confusingly similar to a
trademark or service mark in which Complainant has rights;
ii.
Respondent
has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name; and
iii.
the domain name
has been registered and is being used in bad faith.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, 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.”
Further, Policy ¶ 3(a) provides for
the transfer of a domain name registration upon the written instructions of the
parties to a UDRP proceeding without the need for otherwise required findings
and conclusions (see Malev Hungarian
Airlines, Ltd. v. Vertical Axis Inc., FA 212653 (Nat. Ar. Forum
DECISION
Respondent’s written Response to the Complaint does not contest the
material allegations of the Complaint, and, in particular it does not contest
Complainant’s request that the disputed domain name be transferred to
Complainant. Rather the Response expresses Respondent’s consent to such a
transfer. Thus the parties have effectively agreed in writing to a transfer of
the subject domain name from Respondent to Complainant without the need for
further proceedings.
It is therefore Ordered that the <prosed.com>
domain name be TRANSFERRED forthwith
from Respondent to Complainant.
Terry F. Peppard, Panelist
Dated: February 5, 2009
Click Here to return
to the main Domain Decisions Page.
Click
Here to return to our Home Page
National
Arbitration ForUM