Friends of Kathleen Kennedy Townsend v. B.G. Birt
World Intellectual Property Organization
Case No. D2002-0451 (2002)
- Written by Meredith Hamilton Alley, JD
Facts
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend was the Lieutenant Governor of Maryland and the daughter of the late senator Robert Kennedy. Pursuant to the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy, Townsend filed a complaint against B.G. Birt (defendant) for registering domain names containing Townsend’s name. A World Intellectual Property Organization panel found that Townsend did not have a registered or unregistered trademark in her name and dismissed her complaint. The panel indicated, however, that Townsend’s fundraising committee, Friends of Kathleen Kennedy Townsend (Friends) (plaintiff) might have standing. Friends filed a complaint against Birt, which the panel considered to be a refiling of Townsend’s complaint. Friends alleged that it had rights to an unregistered trademark in Townsend’s name but did not submit evidence supporting the claim.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Plant, Davis, Panelists)
Dissent (Page, Panelist)
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