TTABlog Flotsam and Jetsam: Issue No. 14

It's time for another edition of "Flotsam and Jetsam," wherein I provide timely tidbits to the TTABar. The last edition was a mere four and one-half years ago, but who's counting?



Judge Holtzman Retires: Judge Terry E. Holtzman retired from the Board In November 2013. She was appointed to the Board in 1999.

Judge Grendel Retires: Judge Charles M. Grendel retired from the Board as of earlier this year, after some 14 years as an Administrative Trademark Judge. His departure, by my count, brings the number of TTAB judges to twenty-one (21 or XXI).  [The current roster of TTAB judges may be found here.]

TTAB Seeks Applicants for "Deputy Chief Administrative Trademark Judge": The PTO is seeking candidates for the position of Deputy Chief Administrative Trademark Judge. The application period runs to April 2, 2014. Details here.

Erik Pelton's Report on Trademark Public Advisory Committee: Erik Pelton reports here on the latest quarterly TPAC meeting, held on February 28, 2014. As to our favorite tribunal, Chief Judge Gerard F. Rogers announced (1) that the 2014 revision of the TBMP will be out in June, and (2) that the TTAB is on target for meeting all of its 2014 goals. Also notable is the pending legislation in Congress to permit the registration of official insignia by state and local governmental entities, in a reaction to the District of Columbia and City of Houston decisions, TTABlogged here.

CAFC Affirms TTAB: DOCTORS MAKING HOUSECALLS Generic: Yesterday, the CAFC issued a Rule 36 affirmance in the appeal from a TTAB decision upholding the PTO's genericness refusal of DOCTORS MAKING HOUSECALLS for ... wait for it ... "providing on-site medical services to patients at their homes, apartments, senior communities, offices, or other designated locations." [TTABlogged here]. [When one appeals a WYHA? to the TTAB and then to the CAFC, that makes it a double WYHA? or WHYA?-squared. Now if the Supreme Court affirms ....]

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Text Copyright John L. Welch 2014.