Maker hit with reverse domain name hijacking — Defunct app

App maker files UDRP and then shuts down its business.

The maker of a now-defunct app called Yish has been found to have engaged in reverse domain name hijacking over the domain name Yish.com.

The firm used various domain names counting yishapp.com, yish.co, yish.app, yish.io and yish.menu. It understandably wanted Yish.com, but that domain was registered by Kevin Ham’s Vertical Axis back in 2001. Yish didn’t file for a trademark and began using the term until 2017.

You can understand why the panel found the app maker to have filed the case in bad faith. But this case is a bit odd: ahead of the decision was reached, the app maker informed World Intellectual Property Organization that it was shutting down its business and asked the panel to terminate the case.

Knowing that it had a slam dunk case and likely reverse domain name hijacking, Vertical Axis (now called Blue Nova) objected to terminating the case. Therefore, the panel completed its review and found reverse domain name hijacking.

Blue Nova was represented by ESQwire.com.