Costs of defending domain name in jury trial add up.
Jeffrey Black successfully defended his domain name IMI.com in court, but it cost a lot of money.
A filing by Black’s attorney reveals that the total billings to date are $480,843.
Black is asking the court (pdf) to force Irving Materials, the company that filed a UDRP against the domain, to pay the costs.
His attorney, Mike Rodenbaugh, outlined the saga in DNW Podcast #249. I’ve been following the case since a UDRP panelist awarded the domain to Irving Materials.
Black wasn’t aware of the UDRP case and was forced to turn to the courts to defend his domain name from the transfer. He won a jury trial, but at great monetary cost.
In addition to the legal costs, Black says he lost a venture funding deal because of the lawsuit.
N P says
Once again, arises the question of the responsibility of panelists for their irresponsible decisions.
C.S. Watch says
Irving Materials concrete? You mean the racist, price-fixing Indiana ogres who make a billion a year?
–https://www.ibj.com/articles/10772-concrete-firm-agrees-to-pay-29m-in-price-fixing-case. –https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp2/329/1002/2409832/. –http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/company-profile.irving_materials_inc.494827610d875c6c.html?aka_re=1.
Of course the court will make them pay the 480K in legal fees, but that’s nothing to them. And it’s not going to remedy the wake of destruction to this guy’s family, business, relationships. Two YEARS of fighting, gutting your savings, mortgaging your house…
Thefts like these are a willfull violation of federal law. Willfull. Any boob knows that Irving Materials checked the registrations and knew they were stealing from the jump. https://www.tmdn.org/tmview/bookmark?s=9lehkcp6b12i8r7h330glgg47b. https://www.tmdn.org/tmview/bookmark?s=ikubsv7gkc11r5gfl5fdbabml6.
500-1000 companies named IMI, some dating back over a hundred years! That shows the level of respect Irving Materials has for federal judges.
To deter a billion/yr company like Irving, punitive damages in the millions are the only way. Every year these .coms get more insanely valuable. The courts need to stop this tide of opportunists from clogging our federal dockets and ruining lives. IMI.COM is a $2M asset, at least, and appreciating exponentially. You think companies like this will be deterred by legal fees? Irving Materials were watching the tally of billable hours. And they kicked back and let it climb, just waiting for Black’s back to break.