Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba d/b/a Toshiba Corporation v. Rose Jayaseelan d/b/a Penguin Computers LLC
Claim Number: FA0901001242943
Complainant is Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba d/b/a Toshiba
Corporation (“Complainant”),
represented by David M. Kelly, of Finnegan,
REGISTRAR AND DISPUTED DOMAIN
NAME
The domain name at issue is <toshiba.pro>, registered with DomainPeople, 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.
Judge Ralph Yachnin as Panelist.
Complainant submitted a Complaint to
the National Arbitration Forum electronically on
On
On January
28, 2009, a Notification of Complaint and Commencement of Administrative
Proceeding (the "Commencement Notification"), setting a deadline of
February 17, 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@toshiba.pro by e-mail.
Having received no response from Respondent, the National Arbitration Forum transmitted to the parties a Notification of Respondent Default.
On
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 <toshiba.pro> domain name is identical to Complainant’s TOSHIBA mark.
2. Respondent does not have any rights or legitimate interests in the <toshiba.pro> domain name.
3. Respondent registered and used the <toshiba.pro> domain name in bad faith.
B. Respondent failed to submit a Response in this proceeding.
Complainant, Toshiba Corporation, is a multinational
corporation that produces a wide range of products including electronics,
telecommunications devices, industrial machinery, medical equipment, home
appliances, and entertainment software.
Complainant owns several trademark registrations with the United States
Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) for the TOSHIBA mark. (i.e. Reg. No. 669,605 issued
Respondent registered the <toshiba.pro> domain name on
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.
The Panel finds that registration of Complainant’s mark with
the USPTO establishes Complainant’s rights in the TOSHIBA mark pursuant to
Policy ¶ 4(a)(i). See Trip Network Inc. v. Alviera, FA 914943 (Nat. Arb. Forum Mar. 27, 2007) (finding that the
complainant’s federal trademark registrations for the CHEAPTICKETS and
CHEAPTICKETS.COM marks were adequate to establish its rights in the mark
pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(a)(i)); see also Metro.
Life Ins. Co. v. Bonds, FA 873143
(Nat. Arb. Forum
Complainant argues
that Respondent’s <toshiba.pro> domain name is identical to
Complainant’s TOSHIBA mark pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(a)(i). Respondent’s disputed domain name contains
Complainant’s mark in its entirety and adds the top-level domain (“TLD”)
“.pro.” The Panel finds that the
addition of a TLD is irrelevant in distinguishing a disputed domain name from
an established mark. See Gardline Surveys Ltd. v. Domain Fin. Ltd., FA 153545 (Nat. Arb.
Forum
The Panel finds that Policy ¶ 4(a)(i) has been satisfied.
Complainant alleges that Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the <toshiba.pro> domain name. Once Complainant makes a prima facie case in support of its allegations, the burden shifts to Respondent to prove it has rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii). Based on the arguments made in the Complaint, the Panel finds that Complainant has established a prima facie case in support of its contentions. See 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 Towmaster, Inc. v. Hale, FA 973506 (Nat. Arb. Forum June 4, 2007) (“Complainant must first make a prima facie case that Respondent lacks rights and legitimate interests in the disputed domain name under Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii), and then the burden shifts to Respondent to show it does have rights or legitimate interests.”).
As Respondent did not answer the Complaint, the Panel may assume that Respondent lacks rights and legitimate interests in the disputed domain name. See Parfums Christian Dior v. QTR Corp., D2000-0023 (WIPO Mar. 9, 2000) (finding that by not submitting a response, the respondent has failed to invoke any circumstance which could demonstrate any rights or legitimate interests in the domain name); see also Do the Hustle, LLC v. Tropic Web, D2000-0624 (WIPO Aug. 21, 2000) (“Failure of a respondent to come forward to [contest complainant’s allegations] is tantamount to admitting the truth of complainant’s assertions in this regard.”). However, the Panel chooses to examine the record in consideration of the factors listed under Policy ¶ 4(c).
Complainant asserts that Respondent is neither commonly
known by the <toshiba.pro>
domain name, nor licensed to register domain names using the TOSHIBA mark. Respondent’s WHOIS information identifies Respondent as “Penguin
Computers LLC,” and therefore lacks any defining characteristics relating it to
the disputed domain name. The Panel
finds that without affirmative evidence of being commonly known by the disputed
domain name, Respondent lacks all rights and legitimate interests in the
disputed domain name pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(c)(ii). See
Braun Corp. v. Loney, FA 699652 (Nat. Arb. 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
disputed domain names, and the complainant had not authorized the respondent to
register a domain name containing its registered mark); see also M. Shanken
Commc’ns v. WORLDTRAVELERSONLINE.COM,
FA 740335 (Nat. Arb. Forum
Respondent has failed to make an active use of the <toshiba.pro> domain name as the resolving website displays an “under construction” message. There is no evidence on record that Respondent intends to use the disputed domain name. As a result, the Panel finds that Respondent has not made a bona fide offering of good or services under Policy ¶ 4(c)(i), or a legitimate noncommercial or fair use under Policy ¶ 4(c)(iii). See Pharmacia & Upjohn AB v. Romero, D2000-1273 (WIPO Nov. 13, 2000) (finding no rights or legitimate interests where the respondent failed to submit a response to the complaint and had made no use of the domain name in question); see also Melbourne IT Ltd. v. Stafford, D2000-1167 (WIPO Oct. 16, 2000) (finding no rights or legitimate interests in the domain name where there is no proof that the respondent made preparations to use the domain name or one like it in connection with a bona fide offering of goods and services before notice of the domain name dispute, the domain name did not resolve to a website, and the respondent is not commonly known by the domain name).
The Panel finds that Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii) has been satisfied.
Respondent has registered the <toshiba.pro> domain name but has failed to make an active use of it. The Panel finds that such non-use consitutes bad faith registration and use under Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii). See Caravan Club v. Mrgsale, FA 95314 (Nat. Arb. Forum Aug. 30, 2000) (finding that the respondent made no use of the domain name or website that connects with the domain name, and that failure to make an active use of a domain name permits an inference of registration and use in bad faith); see also Clerical Med. Inv. Group Ltd. v. Clericalmedical.com, D2000-1228 (WIPO Nov. 28, 2000) (finding that merely holding an infringing domain name without active use can constitute use in bad faith).
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 <toshiba.pro> domain name be TRANSFERRED from Respondent to Complainant.
Hon. Ralph Yachnin, Panelist
Justice, Supreme Court, NY (Ret.)
Dated: March 9, 2009
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