There are several federal trademark registrations of marks including WATSON, which is a surname. IBM does not have an exclusive right to the word, and does not have a registration in the category for financial services, so you should be able to register WATSONX.

It is the position of the US Copyright Office, affirmed by federal courts, that copyright can protect only material that is the product of human creativity. If the derivative work is created solely by AI processing without human intervention, then it does not enjoy the benefits of copyright... View More

It is not essential that you identify the current owner of the copyright in the novel, but if you desired to do so, the best resource would be the probate records for the novelist's estate and/or a copy of the will. Your screenplay is an original work of your own authorship, with the... View More

Procedure for federal trademark registration includes publication after approved by the examining attorney, then a 30 day period in which formal oppositions may be filed. The opposer is given an opportunity to assert priority of use to that of the applicant. Even if you don't ultimately... View More

The accusation of "prolix evidentiary averments" is quite unusual and at most could result in the court's requiring the complaint to be amended, not dismissed. But if the complaint itself is not padded with excess evidentiary matter, and the over-abundance is in the exhibits, it is... View More

You definitely should terminate the pending application and re-file with a reputable trademark attorney. Trademark Pioneer is/was a notorious scam, you were an unfortunate victim. But they cannot "steal" your trademark, as ownership depends on usage and you have priority of use if challenged.

The answer is YES. The "first sale doctrine", codified at 17 U.S.C. § 109, provides that an individual who knowingly purchases a copy of a copyrighted work from the copyright holder receives the right to sell, display or otherwise dispose of that particular copy, notwithstanding the... View More

The claim could be brought under the California state law prohibiting the unauthorized use of another's name, voice, signature, photograph or likeness on products or merchandise or for the purposes of advertising or promotion. The copyright claim does require registration prior to suing for... View More

Although the phrase HOME SWEET HOME has been registered as a trademark for air fresheners, it remains a common expression and has not been commercially appropriated for any other purpose. As long as you are not advertising air fresheners, there is no likelihood of confusion. Certainly in the... View More

The mark K KINKASSAGE (and design) was registered on 08/12/2014, and the required maintenance filing to show continuing use was accepted in 2020, extending the registration to its full ten-year term. To renew the registration for an additional ten-year term, its owner must submit proof of... View More

The application to register DEBRA MURRAY SHAYPRON filed in 2011 was an "intent to use" application. It was cleared for publication by an examining attorney and since there was no opposition, a "notice of allowance" was issued in 2012. Had a "statement of use" been... View More

An application for federal trademark registration is filed online and immediately assigned a serial number, and it is publicly accessible within a few days at most. It could not be rejected yet, as it takes over 8 months before an application is assigned to an examining attorney. Your attorney is... View More

After federal registration of a trademark, the owner must maintain the registration by filing a declaration that the mark is still being used in commerce, paying a fee, and submitting a specimen showing the use; these requirements must be fulfilled between the 5th and 6th anniversary of the... View More

When you first use your trademark to promote or sell goods, be sure to put a little "TM" next to it. This puts people on notice that you are claiming trademark rights in the mark before applying to register it. The process of applying for federal registration of a trademark can take about... View More

The title of a work is not capable of being copyrighted, so it is no surprise to find many instances of exact phrases repeated in descriptive titles. If the title were to be very strongly associated with its source, it might be claimed as a trademark, and could conceivably be infringed if the... View More

When descriptive words cannot be claimed exclusively, the addition of unrelated whimsical text (such as "la la") does serve to make a mark sufficiently distinctive that it may function as a source identifier. The mark could be made even more distinctive by using a unique font and/or graphic element.

The earlier use in commerce of a trademark gives it priority over a later use of the same or similar mark, even if there has been an interruption of use for some period of time. If the later-filed application has not yet been published for opposition (the last step in the registration process), the... View More

The proposed mark should be carefully researched to assure that it is not confusingly similar to any other mark already used in gaming, then an intent-to-use application should promptly be filed before the game is actively marketed. It may also be wise to include a graphic element to a text-only... View More

Use of the game's name is permitted as "nominative fair use" when referring to it, and it is also fair use of the game's characters and story line as commentary or parody. The essential point is that you are not creating another game to compete with it.

The photographer is owner of the copyright in the photo, unless he has been hired to do it, in which case the employer owns the copyright as a work-for-hire.