National Arbitration Forum Issues Decision on AARP Web Address

A National Arbitration Forum arbitrator rules in favor of AARP regarding the Internet domain name aarppharmacyservices.com

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. (PRWEB) August 31, 2005 -- The National Arbitration Forum announced today that a ruling has been issued in favor of AARP, a leading non-profit organization for individuals over fifty, regarding rights to the Internet domain name aarppharmacyservices.com.

AARP, represented by Melise R. Blakeslee of McDermott, Will, & Emery LLP, filed a complaint electronically with the National Arbitration Forum on July 12, 2005, asserting legal rights to the Web address bearing close resemblance to aarppharmacy.com.

Ruling in AARPs favor, National Arbitration Forum arbitrator Sandra Franklin found that the other party, domains Ventures, registered the domain name aarppharmacyservices.com on October 18, 2003. The AARP trademark has been registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office since 1962. The disputed domain name resolves to a website featuring links that contain AARPs mark, as well as links to various competing and non-competing commercial websites for which domains Ventures was presumably receiving referral fees.

The arbitrator found that domains Ventures did not have legitimate rights to, or interest in, the disputed Web address, and that the Web address was confusingly similar to AARPs trademark. The arbitrator also found that domain Ventures was using the address in bad faith by presumably profiting from the use of the domain name. Under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the disputed domain name will be transferred to AARP within ten business days unless domains Ventures commences a lawsuit contesting the decision.

AARPs Internet domain dispute is one of thousands heard each year by the National Arbitration Forum. The domain name dispute process is a popular alternative to lengthy and expensive trademark lawsuits.

A copy of the decision, AARP v. domains Ventures, is available for viewing on the National Arbitration Forum Web site at: http://www.arb-forum.com/domains/decisions/514786.htm.

About the National Arbitration Forum

The National Arbitration Forum is one of the world's leading providers of alternative dispute resolution solutions, including arbitration and mediation, representing a distinguished panel of over 1,500 attorneys and retired judges in the U.S. and in 29 countries. Founded in 1986, the National Arbitration Forum administers more than 50,000 cases annually. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the National Arbitration Forum also has offices located in New Jersey and Los Angeles. Additional information is available at the National Arbitration Forum's Web site at www.arbitration-forum.com.

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