(a) An opposition proceeding is commenced by filing in the Office a timely notice of opposition with the required fee. The notice must include proof of service on the applicant, or its attorney or domestic representative of record, at the correspondence address of record in the Office, as detailed in Sec. Sec. 2.101(b) and 2.119.
(b) Any person who believes that he, she or it would be damaged by the registration of a mark on the Principal Register may file an opposition addressed to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and must serve a copy of the opposition, including any exhibits, on the attorney of record for the applicant or, if there is no attorney, on the applicant or on the applicant's domestic representative, if one has been appointed, at the correspondence address of record in the Office. The opposer must include with the opposition proof of service pursuant to Sec. 2.119 at the correspondence address of record in the Office. If any service copy of the opposition is returned to the opposer as undeliverable, the opposer must notify the Board within ten days of receipt of the returned copy. The opposition need not be verified, but must be signed by the opposer or the opposer's attorney, as specified in Sec. 11.1 of this chapter, or other authorized representative, as specified in Sec. 11.14(b) of this chapter. Electronic signatures pursuant to Sec. 2.193(c) are required for oppositions filed through ESTTA under paragraphs (b)(1) or (2) of this section.
(1) An opposition to an application based on section 1 or 44 of the Act must be filed either on paper or through ESTTA.
(2) An opposition to an application based on section 66(a) of the Act must be filed through ESTTA.
(c) The opposition must be filed within thirty days after publication (Sec. 2.80) of the application being opposed or within an extension of time (Sec. 2.102) for filing an opposition.
(d)(1) The opposition must be accompanied by the required fee for each party joined as opposer for each class in the application for which registration is opposed (see Sec. 2.6).
(1) The opposition must be accompanied by the required fee for each party joined as opposer for each class in the application for which registration is opposed (see Sec. 2.6).
(2) An otherwise timely opposition will not be accepted via ESTTA unless the opposition is accompanied by a fee that is sufficient to pay in full for each named party opposer to oppose the registration of a mark in each class specified in the opposition.
(3) If an otherwise timely opposition is submitted on paper, the following is applicable if less than all required fees are submitted:
(i) If the opposition is accompanied by no fee or a fee insufficient to pay for one person to oppose the registration of a mark in at least one class, the opposition will be refused.
(ii) If the opposition is accompanied by fees sufficient to pay for one person to oppose registration in at least one class, but fees are insufficient to oppose registration in all the classes in the application, and the particular class or classes against which the opposition is filed is not specified, the opposition will be presumed to be against the class or classes in ascending numerical order, including only the number of classes in the application for which sufficient fees have been submitted.
(iii) If persons are joined as party opposers, each must submit a fee for each class for which opposition is sought. If the fees submitted are sufficient to pay for one person to oppose registration in at least one class, but are insufficient for each named party opposer, the first-named party will be presumed to be the party opposer. Additional parties will be deemed to be party opposers only to the extent that the fees submitted are sufficient to pay the fee due for each party opposer. If persons are joined as party opposers against a multiple class application, the fees submitted are insufficient, and no specification of opposers and classes is made at the time the party is joined, the fees submitted will be applied first on behalf of the first-named opposer against as many of the classes in the application as the submitted fees are sufficient to pay. Any excess will be applied on behalf of the second-named party to the opposition against the classes in the application in ascending numerical order.
(4) The filing date of an opposition is the date of receipt in the Office of the notice of opposition, with proof of service on the applicant, or its attorney or domestic representative of record, if one has been appointed, at the correspondence address of record in the Office, and the required fee, unless the notice is filed in accordance with Sec. 2.198. [68 FR 55765, Sept. 26, 2003, as amended at 72 FR 42258, Aug. 1, 2007; 73 FR 47685, Aug. 14, 2008; 74 FR 54909, Oct. 26, 2009]