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IN RE OPPEDAHL & LARSON LLP Case Brief
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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: A law firm sought to trademark “patents.com” for patent-tracking software. The court affirmed the PTO’s refusal, holding the mark was merely descriptive because it described a feature of the goods (“patents”) and their delivery via the internet (“.com”).
Legal Significance: This case established the general rule that adding a top-level domain (TLD) like “.com” to a descriptive term does not typically create a registrable trademark, though it rejected a per se prohibition and allowed for exceptional circumstances where a TLD could add distinctiveness.
IN RE OPPEDAHL & LARSON LLP Law School Study Guide
Use this case brief structure for your own legal analysis. Focus on the IRAC methodology to excel in law school exams and cold calls.
Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
Oppedahl & Larson, LLP filed an intent-to-use trademark application for the mark “patents.com” for goods identified as “Computer software for managing a database of records and for tracking the status of the records by means of the Internet.” Evidence of use showed the software was used to track patent applications and issued patents. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) refused registration under 15 U.S.C. § 1052(e)(1), finding the mark to be merely descriptive. The PTO determined that “patents” describes a primary feature of the applicant’s goods and that the top-level domain (TLD) “.com” lacks source-identifying significance, merely indicating a commercial entity on the internet. The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) affirmed the refusal, analogizing the addition of a TLD to the addition of a corporate designator like “Inc.” or “Co.,” which does not confer registrability on an otherwise unregistrable term. The applicant did not argue that the mark had acquired distinctiveness (secondary meaning) and appealed the TTAB’s decision to the Federal Circuit.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: Does adding a top-level domain (TLD) like “.com” to a merely descriptive term create a composite mark that is inherently distinctive and therefore registrable on the Principal Register?
No. The court affirmed the TTAB’s decision, holding that the mark “patents.com” Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint oc
IRAC Legal Analysis
Complete IRAC Analysis for Higher Grades
IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion) is the exact format professors want to see in your exam answers. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full briefs combine holding, analysis, and rule statements formatted to match what A+ students produce in exams. These structured briefs help reinforce the essential legal reasoning patterns expected in law school.
Legal Issue
Does adding a top-level domain (TLD) like “.com” to a merely descriptive term create a composite mark that is inherently distinctive and therefore registrable on the Principal Register?
Conclusion
This case provides the controlling test for the registrability of domain name Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Legal Rule
A mark is merely descriptive and unregistrable if it immediately conveys knowledge Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id e
Legal Analysis
The Federal Circuit established a nuanced framework for evaluating the descriptiveness of Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, qui
Flash-to-Full Case Opinions
Flash Summary
- A mark combining a descriptive term with a TLD (e.g., patents.com)
