Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Electronic Filing System. http://estta.uspto.

gov
ESTTA Tracking number: ESTTA580629
Filing date: 01/08/2014
IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
BEFORE THE TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
Notice of Opposition
Notice is hereby given that the following party opposes registration of the indicated application.
Opposer Information
Name Scandinavian Tobacco Group Lane Ltd.
Entity Corporation Citizenship New York
Address 2280 Mountain Industrial Boulevard
Tucker, GA 30084
UNITED STATES
Correspondence
information
Janet F. Satterthwaite
Venable LLP
PO Box 34385
Washington, DC 20043-4385
UNITED STATES
jfsatterthwaite@venable.com,pjwyles@venable.com,trademarkdocket@venable.
com Phone:202-344-4974
Applicant Information
Application No 85898370 Publication date 12/17/2013
Opposition Filing
Date
01/08/2014 Opposition
Period Ends
01/16/2014
International
Registration No.
NONE International
Registration Date
NONE
Applicant Imperial Tobacco Limited
P.O. Box 244, Upton Road
Bristol, GBX BS997UJ
GBX
Goods/Services Affected by Opposition
Class 034. First Use: 0 First Use In Commerce: 0
All goods and services in the class are opposed, namely: Tobacco whether manufactured or
unmanufactured; tobacco products, namely, smoking tobacco and cigarillos; tobacco substitutes,
none being for medicinal or curative purposes; hand rolling tobacco; cigarettes; cigarette papers;
cigarette tubes; cigarette filters; pocket cigarette rolling machines; hand held machines forinjecting
tobacco into paper tubes; smokers' articles, namely, lighters, cigarette cases, tobacco pouches and
tobacco tins; matches
Grounds for Opposition
Priority and likelihood of confusion Trademark Act section 2(d)
Torres v. Cantine Torresella S.r.l.Fraud 808 F.2d 46, 1 USPQ2d 1483 (Fed. Cir. 1986)
Other improper priority claim under Section 44
Marks Cited by Opposer as Basis for Opposition
U.S. Application
No.
85836728 Application Date 01/30/2013
Registration Date NONE Foreign Priority
Date
NONE
Word Mark GOLDEN VIRGINIA
Design Mark
Description of
Mark
NONE
Goods/Services Class 034. First use: First Use: 0 First Use In Commerce: 0
cigarette tobacco
U.S. Application
No.
85836713 Application Date 01/30/2013
Registration Date NONE Foreign Priority
Date
NONE
Word Mark VIRGINIA GOLD
Design Mark
Description of
Mark
NONE
Goods/Services Class 034. First use: First Use: 0 First Use In Commerce: 0
pipe tobacco
Attachments 85836728#TMSN.jpeg( bytes )
85836713#TMSN.jpeg( bytes )
NOTICE OF OPPOSITION GOLDEN VIRGINIA.pdf(47616 bytes )
EXH A TO NOTICE OF OPPOSITION.pdf(875095 bytes )
Certificate of Service
The undersigned hereby certifies that a copy of this paper has been served upon all parties, at their address
record by First Class Mail on this date.
Signature /Janet F. Satterthwaite/
Name Janet F. Satterthwaite
Date 01/08/2014
BEFORE THE TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
___________________________________
)
Scandinavian Tobacco Group Lane Ltd
)
)
Opposer, )
)
v. ) Opposition No._________
)
) Serial No: 85898370
)
) Mark: GOLDEN VIRGINIA and Design
)
Imperial Tobacco Limited )
Applicant. )
____________________________________)
Atty Ref. No.: 39240-358502
BOX: TTAB FEE
NOTICE OF OPPOSITION
In the matter of the applications for registration of the trademark GOLDEN VIRGINIA
and Design, of Imperial Tobacco Limited, (Applicant,) Application Serial No. 85898370,
filed on April 8, 2013, and published for opposition in the Official Gazette on December 17,
2013, Opposer, Scandinavian Tobacco Group Lane Ltd., a New York Corporation, (Lane)
believes that it will be damaged by registration of the mark shown in said Application and hereby
oppose the same.
As grounds in support of this opposition, Lane asserts the following:
1. Lane manufactures and sells a variety of pipe tobacco, fine-cut tobacco, and little
cigars.
-2-
2. Lane is a subsidiary of Scandinavian Tobacco Group A/S. Scandinavian Tobacco
Group is the largest manufacturer of cigars in the world, the worlds largest in pipe tobacco and a
strong regional player in fine-cut tobacco in Scandinavia and in the United States.
3. Lanes predecessor in interest, Lane Limited, was the owner of U.S. Registration
747146 for GOLDEN VIRGINIA for smoking tobacco. The registration set forth a first-use
date of 1940.
4. Registration No. 747146 was cancelled as a result of a default judgment in an inter
partes Cancellation action, effective January 3, 2013.
5. Lane used the mark GOLDEN VIRGINIA in the United States for many years prior
to the earliest possible date upon which Applicant may rely. The mark was long associated with
Lanes goods.
6. On January 30, 2013, Lane filed a new application for GOLDEN VIRGINIA for
cigarette tobacco Serial No. 85836728.
7. On January 30, 2013, Lane also filed a new application for VIRGINIA GOLD for
pipe tobacco, Serial No. 85836713. Serial Nos. 85836728 and 8536713 are referred to
collectively as Lanes Applications.
8. On April 8, 2013, over three months after the filing date of Lanes Applications,
Applicant filed the subject application for .
9. The Subject Application covers Tobacco whether manufactured or unmanufactured;
tobacco products, namely, smoking tobacco and cigarillos; tobacco substitutes, none being for
-3-
medicinal or curative purposes; hand rolling tobacco; cigarettes; cigarette papers; cigarette tubes;
cigarette filters; pocket cigarette rolling machines; hand held machines for injecting tobacco into
paper tubes; smokers' articles, namely, lighters, cigarette cases, tobacco pouches and tobacco
tins; matches.
10. These goods are highly related to Lanes goods.
11. On information and belief, Applicant did not use its mark before April 8, 2013.
IMPROPER PRIORITY CLAIM
12. Applicant included a priority claim of December 24, 2012, under Section 44 of the
Trademark Act based on a Community trademark (CTM) application, 011453156.
13. Because this priority claim appeared to give Applicant priority of Lanes
Applications, the Subject application has been cited against Lanes Applications.
14. The priority claim, however, was improper.
15. Lane is damaged by the improper priority claim because Lanes applications
would otherwise be the first filed, and the subject application would not pose a bar to use and
registration of Lanes marks.
16. A priority claim under Section 44 may only be made when the application upon
which the priority claim is based is the first filed anywhere in the world.
17. Applicant has filed numerous long-prior applications around the world for the
word mark GOLDEN VIRGINIA.
18. For example, Applicant owns CTM registration 4,392,023, for the word mark
GOLDEN VIRGINIA, which was filed in 2005 and registered in 2006, for the following goods:
-4-
Class 34: Tobacco, whether manufactured or unmanufactured; tobacco products;
tobacco substitutes, none being for medicinal or curative purposes; hand-rolling tobacco;
cigarettes; smokers articles and matches.
19. Applicant has other applications/registrations for this word mark around the world.
For example, Applicant owns UK Registration No. 1,421,021 filed on April 3, 1990 for the
mark GOLDEN VIRGINIA for tobacco, whether manufactured or unmanufactured; substances
for smoking, sold separately, or blended with tobacco, none being for medicinal or curative
purposes; cigarette paper and books of cigarette paper; smokers' articles and matches; all
included in Class 34 and all for sale in the United Kingdom and for export to and sale in all
countries of the world with the exception of Bangladesh, Benin, Barbados, Canada, Cayman
Islands, Cyprus, Falkland Islands, Ghana, Guadeloupe, India, Israel, Ivory Coast, Martinique,
Mauritius, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri
Lanka, St. Martin (French), St. Martin (Dutch), Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad, Turkey and
Zimbabwe. A copy of the record from the UK Intellectual Property Offices online database is
attached. Applicant also owns Australian Trademark Application 1,447,434 filed on
September 8, 2011 for the mark GOLDEN VIRGINIA for tobacco, whether manufactured or
unmanufactured; tobacco products; tobacco substitutes; none being for medicinal or curative
purposes; cigarettes; hand-rolling tobacco; matches and smokers articles.
20. Copies of some of these are attached as Exhibit A hereto.
21. Therefore, the claim of priority in the subject application should extend only to the
design element at best, and not to the word portion GOLDEN VIRGINIA.
-5-
22. If the priority claim were to extend only to the design element, then the subject
application would no longer pose a bar to Lanes Applications.
BAD FAITH-FRAUD ON THE TRADEMARK OFFICE
23. On information and belief, Applicant was well aware of Lanes longtime
ownership and use of the mark GOLDEN VIRGINIA in the United States.
24. On information and belief, it was not a coincidence that Applicant filed a new CTM
application after the cancellation of Registration 747146.
25. On information and belief, Applicants CTM application, and the filing of the subject
application, was done in bad faith with respect to Lanes reputation and residual goodwill with
respect to its longtime GOLDEN VIRGINIA mark.
LIKELIHOOD OF CONFUSIONFALSE ASSOCIATION OR SPONSORSHIP
26. On information and belief, consumers will be confused because of residual goodwill
derived of Lanes longtime use of its mark, as to the association or sponsorship of Lane with
Applicant.
27. For example, many state regulatory offices continue to carry Lanes GOLDEN
VIRGINIA brand on their rosters of approved tobacco brands.
28. Lane will be injured if the subject application is registered because the mark that
is the subject of the application is so similar to the residual goodwill of Lanes GOLDEN
VIRGINIA brand as to be likely to cause confusion as to the source or sponsorship by Lane of
Applicants goods.
29. Lane is likewise injured because the subject application is interfering with the
registration of Lanes Applications, and may interfere with Lanes use of same.
Please deduct the opposition fees from Deposit Account 22-0261.
-6-
Please address correspondence to Janet F. Satterthwaite of Venable, LLP, P.O. Box
34385, Washington, D.C. 20045-9998.
Respectfully submitted,
Scandinavian Tobacco Group Lane Limited
Dated: January 8, 2014 By:
Janet F. Satterthwaite
VENABLE LLP
P.O. Box 34385
Washington, D.C. 20043-9998
Phone: (202) 344-4000
Fax: (202) 344-8300
Email: trademarkdocket@venable.com
-7-
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I HEREBY CERTIFY that on this 8th day of January, 2014, I caused a copy of the
foregoing Notice of Opposition to be served by first class mail to Applicants counsel:
MARTIN R. GREENSTEIN
TECHMARK A LAW CORPORATION
4820 HARWOOD RD, 2ND FLOOR
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA 95124-5200
____________________________
Janet F. Satterthwaite
OHIM
The Trade Marks and Designs Registration Office of the European Union
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CTM-ONLINE - DetaiIed trade mark information
Trade mark name : GOLDEN VIRGINIA
Trade mark No : 004392023
Trade mark basis: CTM
Date of receipt : 12/04/2005
Number of results: 11 of 14
Request an inspection
Certified copy of the Registration Certificate
| | | |
Trade mark
Filing date: 12/04/2005
Date of registration: 28/02/2006
Expiry Date: 12/04/2015
Nice Classification:
34 ( Nice classification)
Trade mark: Individual
Type of mark: Word
Acquired distinctiveness: No
Applicant's reference: JW/DJO/99901
Status of trade mark:
Registered
( Glossary)
Publication of registration
( Publication B1 or Publication B2)
( History of statuses)
Filing language: English
Second language: French
Graphic representation
No entry for application number: 004392023.
List of goods and services
Nice Classification: 34
List of goods and services Tobacco, whether manufactured or unmanufactured;
tobacco products; tobacco substitutes, none being for
medicinal or curative purposes; hand-rolling tobacco;
cigarettes; smokers' articles and matches.
Description
Description of the mark: -
Owner
Name: Imperial Tobacco Limited
ID No: 19050
Natural or legal person: Legal entity
Address: P.O. Box 244 Upton Road
Post code: BS99 7UJ
Town: Bristol
Country: UNITED KINGDOM
Correspondence address: Imperial Tobacco Limited P.O. Box 244 Upton
Road Bristol BS99 7UJ REINO UNIDO
Telephone: 00 44-1179636636
Fax: 00 44-1179337429
Representative
Name: STEVENS HEWLETT & PERKINS
ID No: 12100
Type: 4 - Association
Page 1 oI 3 OAMI-ONLINE - CTM-ONLINE - DetaiIed trade mark inIormation
5/28/2013 http://oami.europa.eu/CTMOnIine/RequestManager/enDetaiICTMNoReg
Address: 1 St Augustine's Place
Post code: BS1 4UD
Town: Bristol
Country: UNITED KINGDOM
Correspondence address: STEVENS HEWLETT & PERKINS 1 St Augustine's
Place Bristol BS1 4UD REINO UNIDO
Telephone: 00 44-1179226007
Fax: 00 44-1179226009
E-mail: mail@shpbristol.co.uk
Seniority
Country: AUSTRIA
Registration number: 156393
Status: Accepted
Filing date: 30/10/1992
Country: BENELUX
Registration number: 0521773
Status: Accepted
Filing date: 05/11/1992
Country: BENELUX
Registration number: 0011520
Status: Accepted
Filing date: 05/03/1971
Country: FRANCE
Registration number: 92445383
Status: Accepted
Filing date: 09/12/1992
Country: GERMANY
Registration number: 2913467
Status: Accepted
Filing date: 16/11/1992
Country: GREECE
Registration number: 111759
Status: Accepted
Filing date: 03/12/1992
Country: IRELAND
Registration number: 149048
Status: Accepted
Filing date: 27/04/1992
Country: ITALY
Registration number: 0000995206
Status: Accepted
Filing date: 30/12/1992
Country: PORTUGAL
Registration number: 288324
Status: Accepted
Filing date: 30/12/1992
Country: SPAIN
Registration number: M1734323
Status: Accepted
Filing date: 04/12/1992
Country: UNITED KINGDOM
Registration number: 1421021
Status: Accepted
Filing date: 03/04/1990
Exhibition priority
No entry for application number: 004392023
Priority
No entry for application number: 004392023.
InternationaI Registration Transformation
No entry for application number: 004392023.
PubIication
Bulletin no.: 2005/041
Date of publication: 10/10/2005
Part: A.1
Bulletin no.: 2006/014
Date of publication: 03/04/2006
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5/28/2013 http://oami.europa.eu/CTMOnIine/RequestManager/enDetaiICTMNoReg
Part: B.1
Bulletin no.: 2012/213
Date of publication: 08/11/2012
Part: C.8.1
Bulletin no.: 2013/053
Date of publication: 15/03/2013
Part: C.1.3
Opposition
No entry for application number: 004392023.
CanceIIation
No entry for application number: 004392023
AppeaIs
No entry for application number: 004392023.
RecordaIs
Title: Seniority
Sub-title: Claim of seniority
ID No: 006810819
Bulletin no.: 2012/213
Date of publication: 08/11/2012
Part: C.8.1
Title: Owners
Sub-title: Change of name and adress of owner
ID No: 007246997
Bulletin no.: 2013/053
Date of publication: 15/03/2013
Part: C.1.3
RenewaIs
No entry for application number: 004392023.
| | | |
Version: 9.4.7 1995-2010
Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs)
Avenida de Europa 4, E-03008 Alicante, Spain - Tel: +34 96 513 9400 - e-mail:
Page 3 oI 3 OAMI-ONLINE - CTM-ONLINE - DetaiIed trade mark inIormation
5/28/2013 http://oami.europa.eu/CTMOnIine/RequestManager/enDetaiICTMNoReg
nm sspqorsrq
+@H;B8@C=G(
5I8IJH(
Registration oI this mark shaII give no
right to the excIusive use oI the word
"Virginia".
Registered
Seniority cIaimed Ior Community
Trade mark EU004392023
,@B@D? <8I=(
+8I= E> =DIGM @D G=?@HI=G(
4=D=L8B <8I=(
03 ApriI 1990
06 March 1992
03 ApriI 2017
*B8HH &'( Tobacco, whether manuIactured or
unmanuIactured; substances Ior
smoking, soId separateIy, or bIended
with tobacco, none being Ior medicinaI
or curative purposes; cigarette paper
and books oI cigarette paper; smokers'
articIes and matches; aII incIuded in
CIass 34 and aII Ior saIe in the United
Kingdom and Ior export to and saIe in
aII countries oI the worId with the
exception oI BangIadesh, Benin,
Barbados, Canada, Caymen IsIands,
Cyprus, FaIkIand IsIands, Ghana,
*JGG=DI ;8H= <=I8@BH >EG 7. 6G8<= 08GA
1JC9=G( 7.####$'%$#%$
Printed On: 31 May 2013
GOLDEN VIRGINIA
6G8<= C8GA
4=B=K8DI <8I=H
/@HI E> ?EE<H
Page 1 oI 2 InteIIectuaI Property OIIice - By number resuIts
5/31/2013 http://www.ipo.gov.uk/tmcase/ResuIts/1/UK00001421021?printFriendIyViewTrue
GuadeIoupe, India, IsraeI, Ivory Coast,
Martinique, Mauritius, New ZeaIand,
Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay,
Quatar, SeycheIIes, Singapore, Sri
Lanka, St. Martin (French), St. Martin
(Dutch), Taiwan, ThaiIand, Togo,
Trinidad, Turkey and Zimbabwe.
2LD=G!H" D8C=( ImperiaI Tobacco Limited
PO Box 244, SouthviIIe, BristoI, BS99
7UJ, United Kingdom
View owner's other trade marks
-32 G=FG=H=DI8I@K= D8C=( Stevens, HewIett & Perkins
1 St Augustine's PIace,, BristoI, United
Kingdom, BS1 4UD
,@GHI 8<K=GI( JournaI : 5906 Date oI pubIication :
15 January 1992
Crown Copyright 2013
InteIIectuaI Property OIIice is an operating name oI the Patent OIIice
18C= 8D< )<<G=HH <=I8@BH
3J9B@;8I@ED <=I8@BH
Page 2 oI 2 InteIIectuaI Property OIIice - By number resuIts
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Trade Mark Details
Trade Mark : 1447434
Goods & Services
Class: 34 Tobacco, whether manufactured or unmanufactured; tobacco products; tobacco
substitutes; none being for medicinal or curative purposes; cigarettes; hand-rolling tobacco;
matches and smokers' articles
Word: GOLDEN VIRGINIA
Image:
Lodgement Date: 08-SEP-2011
Acceptance Due: 28-JUN-2013
First Report: 28-OCT-2011
Class/es: 34
Status: Under Examination - Extension Fees Required
Kind: n/a
Type of Mark: Word
Examiner: Ian ARENTZ
Owner/s: Imperial Tobacco Limited
P.O. Box 244
Upton Road
Bristol BS99 7UJ
UNITED KINGDOM
Address for Service: Herbert Smith Freehills
Level 43
101 Collins Street
MELBOURNE VIC 3000
AUSTRALIA
Indexing Details - Word Constituents
GOLDEN VIRGINIA
Indexing Details - Image Constituents
Page 1 oI 1 Trade Mark DetaiIs
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