Newsletter
IN COURT SETTLEMENT IN TRADEMARK OPPOSITION
In past trademark and patent disputes, the IPO has never agreed to a voluntary settlement during an administrative appeal or administrative liti-gation. But in a 2001 suit in the Taipei High Administrative Court regarding a service mark opposition, a settlement was reached between the trademark applicant, the IPO and the opposition petitioner through the successful mediation of the presiding judge. After several years of ad-ministrative dispute procedures, the case was finally resolved short of a court judgment, and registration of the applicant's trademark was ap-proved.
The way in which the Taipei High Administra-tive Court handled the settlement of this case can serve as a guide for future settlement of similar trademark and patent litigation.