can 'they' force me to relinquish a domain name?

[Cheetah8799]

rnmcd, why not offer to sell it to them? Obviously they consider it worth something or they wouldn't sue you.

 

[Stuxnet]

Originally posted by: PhasmatisNox
See:

msi.com
paypalsucks.com

And my personal favorite, BestBuySux.org

If you're not profiting from the site and you have a legitimate use for it (get that content up ASAP), then you're fine.

Of course, the real question is whether or not it's worth the trouble. You're obviously not even established on the site yet, so if I were you I'd personally explain to them that you have no legal obligation to give it up, but for a nominal fee (a couple hundo) you'll settle it up.

 

[rnmcd]

Originally posted by: Cheetah8799
rnmcd, why not offer to sell it to them? Obviously they consider it worth something or they wouldn't sue you.

I think I'm screwed if I use the word "sell" with them.

That might lead one to believe that my purpose in buying the domain was to squat on it until they bought it....which was not my intention.

I wanted to run a website from the domain.

 

[zeruty]

rnmcd, first things first. If they just emailed you, tell them they will need to send you a certified letter. Tell them that you cannot accept an electronic message as a legal notice. Plus, unless you have SIGNED for a certified letter, they have no proof that you, the owner of the domain, has received the notice.

If they can't go to the effort of sending you a certified letter, how likely are they to actually go through with a lawsuit?

I say... If they don't send you a certified letter, don't worry about it.

Plus, I agree with the other people saying to contact the Electronics Frontier Foundation.
They will give you probably the best advice.

 

[BillyBatson]

i don't think they can as long as it is a legit site where you aren't profiting off of their name or absuing it in any way. If your site is all about "chevy" cars for instance with owner pictures, bios, etc like a gathering that's cool. If you are tyring to sell checy or another brand car thatmight be a problem.

 

[Lovepig]

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
Chevrolet doesn't care about black people.

I just spit out my drink! lol hahahaha

 

[BillyBatson]

haha just by accident i tried to go to http://nissan.com/ to price a new Maxima and i was greated with that page. Also being sued lol

 

[rnmcd]

Originally posted by: zeruty
rnmcd, first things first. If they just emailed you, tell them they will need to send you a certified letter. Tell them that you cannot accept an electronic message as a legal notice. Plus, unless you have SIGNED for a certified letter, they have no proof that you, the owner of the domain, has received the notice.

If they can't go to the effort of sending you a certified letter, how likely are they to actually go through with a lawsuit?

I say... If they don't send you a certified letter, don't worry about it.

Plus, I agree with the other people saying to contact the Electronics Frontier Foundation.
They will give you probably the best advice.

Thank you for the sound advice. I will also try EFF.

I'm kinda to the point that I would just like to transfer the domain to them for a fee....but I don't know what I can ask as a fee without getting nailed for extortion. $100?

 

[rnmcd]

It looks like EFF.org is an activist organization.

They don't seem to have a forum or method to discuss individual issues.

Any other suggestions?

 

[rnmcd]

This is the email I just replied with.

Dude, wuz up.

Please remit $150 via PayPal to *******@gmail.com and I will get the dirty, rotten, good-for-nothin', pan-handlin' sorry excuse for toe-jam, scoundrel to transfer the domain to your client within 3 business days (as the crow flies).

Why the heck ain't this text wrapping? I hope it does for you.

Well sorry for the inconvenience. Let's hope this n'er-do-well gets a floggin' like we gave to 'Nam when we zapped 'em wit the bomb.


Peace on earf and goodwill to girls that look like that Pamela Anderson (circa 1995).

******
I buy Esquire.

 

[Purgatory-Z]

Originally posted by: rnmcd
This is the email I just replied with.

Dude, wuz up.

Please remit $150 via PayPal to *******@gmail.com and I will get the dirty, rotten, good-for-nothin', pan-handlin' sorry excuse for toe-jam, scoundrel to transfer the domain to your client within 3 business days (as the crow flies).

Why the heck ain't this text wrapping? I hope it does for you.

Well sorry for the inconvenience. Let's hope this n'er-do-well gets a floggin' like we gave to 'Nam when we zapped 'em wit the bomb.


Peace on earf and goodwill to girls that look like that Pamela Anderson (circa 1995).

******
I buy Esquire.

LOL

 

[rnmcd]

Nothing says I have to be professional.

 

[UDT89]

dude just put up a forum on the site and start a community.

 

[rnmcd]

I don't think it matters what I do with the site if they think I am infringing on their copyrighted name.

By the way, I never heard back from the attorney after I offered to transfer the domain to them.

 

[aplefka]

Originally posted by: rnmcd
This is the email I just replied with.

Dude, wuz up.

Please remit $150 via PayPal to *******@gmail.com and I will get the dirty, rotten, good-for-nothin', pan-handlin' sorry excuse for toe-jam, scoundrel to transfer the domain to your client within 3 business days (as the crow flies).

Why the heck ain't this text wrapping? I hope it does for you.

Well sorry for the inconvenience. Let's hope this n'er-do-well gets a floggin' like we gave to 'Nam when we zapped 'em wit the bomb.


Peace on earf and goodwill to girls that look like that Pamela Anderson (circa 1995).

******
I buy Esquire.

Bwahahaha that's awesome. I hope they respond.

 

[lizardboy]

Originally posted by: rnmcd
I don't think it matters what I do with the site if they think I am infringing on their copyrighted name.

By the way, I never heard back from the attorney after I offered to transfer the domain to them.

Several people in this thread have given you correct information. You can have a domain name that infringes on someone's trademark as long as you're not acting in bad faith and/or making a profit with the web site. You are completely within your rights to register chevysucks.com or ilovechevy.com as long as you're not acting in bad faith. The problem arises when you're interested in selling but the simple act of offering to sell is sometimes interpreted as evidence of cyberquatting. The fact that you registered the name, did nothing with it, and pointed it to a place to generate click-through revenue are all factors that work against you. Take a look at the cases on this page and you'll have a much better understanding of the issues.

http://www.perkinscoie.com/casedigest/i...d1=cybersquatting&topic=Cybersquatting

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: aidanjm
wouldn't a lawyer be a better source of advice that atot?

much like your asking your parents about sex vs the guys in college...

really depends. I am willing to bet there are guys that know more here on domain reg. laws than whatever attorney you pick.