Guilty of reverse domain name hijacking — California man

Sorry, you can’t just take a domain since you have a business plan for it.

A California man starting a business called Joopa has been found guilty of attempted reverse domain name hijacking.

Edward Smith attempted to purchase the domain name Joopa.com for a fresh business (which is right now online at Joopa.tv). He first offered $500, and then upped his offer to $2,600. The domain owner wanted much more.

As stated by the domain owner, it was following Smith was originally rebuffed in 2011 that Smith filed an intent-to-use trademark application for the word “Joopa”. Following the trademark was registered he filed the UDRP for the domain.

So here we have a case of a domain registered in 2000. A guy wants to use the domain for a business over a decade later. Following he fails to negotiate a price for the domain, he turns to UDRP to attempt to hijack the domain.

It’s classic reverse domain name hijacking, and panelists Carolyn M. Johnson, (Ret.), Kendall Reed, Esq., C.Arb., and Professor David E. Sorkin unanimously agreed that the complaint was brought in bad faith.

Smith was represented by Raj Abhyanker P.C. Abhyanker runs Trademarkia.com.