[E-trademarks] Indisputably "merely descriptive" mark registered without disclaimer (and no 2(f) claim)

[Jessica R. Friedman]

The mark COMPUTER SCIENCE FOR THE REAL WORLD is registered for books about computer science in various media without a disclaimer of COMPUTER SCIENCE, despite the fact that COMPUTER SCIENCE clearly is “merely descriptive” for books about computer science, and, the applicant did not claim secondary meaning.

There’s no point asking how the PTO let that application proceed without the disclaimer in the first place. But would this registration actually be enforceable without proof of secondary meaning?  I guess I’m asking whether the clear error in the registration would be a defense to an infringement claim, or even a refusal to register a similar mark, even if I’m not asking the question in quite the right way.


Jessica R. Friedman
Attorney at Law
300 East 59 Street, Ste. 2406
New York, NY 10022
Phone: 212-220-0900
Cell: 917-647-1884
E-mail: jrfriedman at litproplaw.com<mailto:jrfriedman at litproplaw.com>
URL: www.literarypropertylaw.com<http://www.literarypropertylaw.com>

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