DECISION

 

JLB Eatery Group, LLC v. JR Irvin

Claim Number: FA2606002229658

 

PARTIES

Complainant is JLB Eatery Group, LLC ("Complainant"), United States, represented by John C. Cain of Munck Wilson Mandala, LLP, United States. Respondent is JR Irvin ("Respondent"), United States.

 

REGISTRAR AND DISPUTED DOMAIN NAME

The domain name at issue is <jlbeatery.com>, registered with GoDaddy.com, LLC.

 

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.

 

David E. Sorkin as Panelist.

 

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Complainant submitted a Complaint to Forum electronically on June 26, 2026; Forum received payment on June 26, 2026.

 

On June 29, 2026, GoDaddy.com, LLC confirmed by email to Forum that the <jlbeatery.com> domain name is registered with GoDaddy.com, LLC and that Respondent is the current registrant of the name. GoDaddy.com, LLC has verified that Respondent is bound by the GoDaddy.com, 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 July 2, 2026, Forum served the Complaint and all Annexes, including a Written Notice of the Complaint, setting a deadline of July 27, 2026 by which Respondent could file a Response to the Complaint, via email to all entities and persons listed on Respondent's registration as technical, administrative, and billing contacts, and to postmaster@jlbeatery.com. Also on July 2, 2026, the Written Notice of the Complaint, notifying Respondent of the email 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.

 

Forum received informal email correspondence from Respondent on July 17, 21, and 27, 2026.

 

On July 28, 2026, pursuant to Complainant's request to have the dispute decided by a single-member Panel, Forum appointed David E. Sorkin as Panelist.

 

Having reviewed the communications records, the Administrative Panel (the "Panel") finds that 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.

 

RELIEF SOUGHT

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

 

PARTIES' CONTENTIONS

A. Complainant

Complainant has offered and promoted restaurant services under the JLB EATERY mark since at least as early as May 2019. Complainant operates and licenses others to operate JLB Eatery locations offering fast casual cuisine. Complainant's founder and principal, Joon Young Jeon, owns a United States trademark registration for JLB EATERY in standard character form. As exclusive licensee of the mark, Complainant authorizes other entities or individuals to use the mark in connection with restaurant services at authorized restaurant locations and only under certain conditions.

 

In October 2023 Complainant entered into a license agreement with Irvin Enterprises Corporation, authorizing Irvin Enterprises Corporation to operate a single JLB Eatery restaurant location in Houston, Texas. The agreement provides that Complainant retains all ownership rights in the JLB EATERY mark and associated intellectual property, and that Irvin Enterprises Corporation "shall not . . . use or publish any advertisement . . . or other material bearing [Complainant's] name or trademarks in any form or manner." Complainant states that Respondent JR Irvin is the President, Director, and Treasurer of Irvin Enterprises Corporation.

 

The disputed domain name <jlbeatery.com> was registered in April 2025. The name is registered in the name of a privacy registration service on behalf of Respondent. It is being used for a website titled "MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OWNING AND OPERATING A JLB EATERY ... DON'T." The website includes various statements aimed at prospective investors and licensees regarding Complainant and its founder, and alleged by Complainant to be defamatory. Complainant states that Respondent is not commonly known by the domain name and is not authorized to use Complainant's mark other than as expressly permitted by the parties' license agreement.

 

Complainant contends on the above grounds that the disputed domain name <jlbeatery.com> is confusingly similar to its JLB EATERY mark; that Respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name; and that the disputed domain name was registered and is being used in bad faith.

 

B. Respondent

Respondent did not submit a formal response. On July 17, 2026, Forum received the following communication from Respondent: "I unilaterally, voluntarily, and unconditionally consent to the remedy requested by the Complainant. Specifically, I agree to transfer the disputed domain name, jlbeatery.com, to the Complainant immediately." Respondent subsequently informed Forum that Complainant had not yet signed Respondent's proposed settlement agreement, and requested that the domain name be transferred to Complainant based upon Respondent's consent.

 

PRELIMINARY ISSUE: CONSENT TO TRANSFER

Respondent has consented to a transfer of the disputed domain name. In such a circumstance, a Panel may decide to forego the traditional UDRP analysis and order an immediate transfer of the domain name. However, where the consent to transfer is itself offered in bad faith (for example, to permit a serial cybersquatter to avoid having adverse findings entered against it), the Panel may proceed with the traditional analysis notwithstanding the Respondent's request. See AWGI, LLC v. Brume Egbagba, FA 2228942 (Forum July 21, 2026) (addressing merits of complaint notwithstanding consent to transfer); B.GOOD LLC v. Domains By Proxy, LLC / Karee Laing, Studio Brand Collective, LLC, D2018-1402 (WIPO Aug. 21, 2018) (same); Taboola.com Ltd. v. Omer Mullick, FA 2150901 (Forum Apr. 18, 2025) (ordering transfer based upon consent); Snap Fitness, Inc. v. Lekha Reddy, Snap Fitness India, D2022-3688 (WIPO Dec. 1, 2022) (same).

 

There being no indication here that the transfer has been offered in bad faith, the Panel considers it appropriate to forego the traditional analysis and order an immediate transfer.

 

DECISION

For the reasons set forth above, the Panel concludes that relief shall be GRANTED.

 

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

 

 

 

David E. Sorkin, Panelist

Dated: July 28, 2026