http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-11/118395530582520.xml&coll=1
Danno sends link. Thanks Danno :)
Quote: "...But the lawsuit might never make it before a judge. Last week, New Jersey Urban's attorney said the two sides were in settlement negotiations, hoping to reach a compromise before the case goes to trial."
Two guys named Keith Urban... The country singer trying to unseat the guy with the same name who predates his ownership. This looks like a slam dunk (fluff about similar looking sites notwithstanding). The singer should lose. Take heart Keith.. there's a country song in there somewhere .. "My truck broke down, my wife left me and I lost my domain...". ;)
So does this mean we all need to trademark our names in order to have a stronger claim to our eponymous domain names?
The possibility of someone else in the world having your same name is not uncommon, even for my own name! I hope the singer loses this case, otherwise domain name registrations will be the least cost we will have to fork over as legal costs to trademark ourselves will surely be much more!
mp/m
Posted by: Mike Maddaloni | July 09, 2007 at 02:21 PM
Keith the artist didn't put anywhere on his website that he wasn't Keith the singer. When I went to the site, there was a banner ad for Keith Urban concert tickets. It has since been removed, probably on the advice of the artists legal counsel!
***FS*** Interesting.. wonder if it matters as it relates to the name's ownership if his name is Keith Urban.. I don't know of any other realm where violating a TM means you forfeit your entire rights to use your license or property.
Posted by: terminalfrost | July 09, 2007 at 03:32 PM
the keith urban banner was because he was using adsense....
***FS*** Oh.. then he should be fine.. precedent was set in the elephant.com UDRP.
Posted by: Gordon | July 09, 2007 at 03:54 PM
Reason then for all us folks with especially "unique" names to feel (at least a little bit) safer, no?
Time for you to take up the guitar, Frank? :-)
***FS*** I do look like Keith with a goatee and long hair when I'm not eating as much. ;)
Posted by: Steve Morsa | July 09, 2007 at 05:57 PM
Heck, if I were Keith Urban of New Jersey, I'd ask Keith Urban the singer for a heckuva lotta dough for the site name and then come up with a new name.
Posted by: Rhea | July 10, 2007 at 01:16 PM