Lotto Sport Italia must pay $237k attorneys’ fees in reverse domain hijacking case: Court
Lotto Sport tried to reverse domain name hijack a lottery operator’s domains.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah M. Fine has ordered (pdf) sports apparel firm Lotto Sport Italia to pay approximately $237,000 in attorneys’ fees stemming from a reverse domain name hijacking case.
Lotto Sport filed a cybersquatting dispute under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) against David Dent’s domain names LottoStore .com and LottoWorks .com. Dent purchased the domains for over $11,000 with plans to use them for his online gaming business, only to be hit with the UDRP shortly following acquiring the domains.
Dent’s initial case was poorly defended and a World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) panel found in Lotto Sport’s favor. So Dent was forced to defend his domains by filing a lawsuit.
The court granted summary judgment finding (pdf) reverse domain name hijacking against Lotto Sport. Dent then filed for attorneys’ fees, with the court granting nearly the full amount.
Jeffrey Johnson of Schmeiser, Olsen & Watts, LLP, and John Berryhill represented Dent. Marc Randazza initially represented lotto Sport Italia until the firm lost the substantive part of the judgment.
