Case Number: 1998214
Complainant: Handy Guy Inc.
Represented by: David J. Simonelli
A California company operating under the moniker of “The Handy Guy” has been nailed with a ruling of Reverse Domain Name Hijacking by a panel of the National Arbitration Forum. Handy Guy Inc. was handed the ruling by a three-member NAF panel on July 20, 2022. The domain owner, Merlin Kauffman, bought the domain from its previous owner in 2013. While the California company does have a trademark for “The Handy Guy”, the NAF panel noted the trademark application was made only after a failed purchase attempt.
That sequence of events was enough to quickly turn the panel against the complainant and to a ruling of Reverse Domain Name Hijacking. The panel accused Handy Guy, Inc. of using what is called a “Plan B” filing, in which a complainant tries to use a UDRP to compel a domain name transfer when they are unable purchase a domain. “Although Complainant does have a trademark registration, it only sought to register its mark after its failed attempt to purchase the disputed domain name,” the panel wrote.
As of late 2022, Handy Guy, Inc.’s website forwards to BiltPros.com, which now operates the Handyguy brand.
Source: https://www.adrforum.com/DomainDecisions/1998214.htm