FC: Update on Texas mall critic's fight to keep Taubmansucks.com

From: Declan McCullagh (declanat_private)
Date: Sun Dec 08 2002 - 20:08:12 PST

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    Forwarded from another list... Politech archive on this case:
    http://www.politechbot.com/cgi-bin/politech.cgi?name=mishkoff
    
    ---
    
    From: "Gregory, John D. (JUS)" <John.D.Gregoryat_private>
    Date:         Fri, 29 Nov 2002 09:16:07 -0500
    
    A few days ago on this list there was a discussion of the plight of Howard
    Mishkoff, who put up a fan site for a shopping center and is being legally
    pursued by the owners of the center.
    
    His expert witness did a lovely job of explaining what a web site was - and
    how it is NOT a trade name, but only an indication of what is going on at
    the site, in many different ways.  Quoting from the earlier posting:
    
    He has posted the report of his expert witness, Milton Mueller, at
    http://www.taubmansucks.com/Act108.html.
    
    For a trademark action, there has to be confusion among possible customers,
    or (in the US only) "dilution" of a famous name.  One imagines IntelCenter
    would have a good defence, though whether they have the money or inclination
    to run it against a very rich abusive complainant is a different question.
    
    For an action about web names, Professor Mueller's arguments are pretty
    strong.
    
    
    
    
    John G
    
    
    John D. Gregory
    General Counsel, Policy Branch                 OPINIONS ARE
    Ministry of the Attorney General (Ontario)    PERSONAL
    720 Bay Street
    NOT
    Toronto ON Canada M5G 2K1                                      OFFICIAL
    (416) 326-2503   fax (416) 326-2699
    john.d.gregoryat_private
    
    
    
    
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