Opposition
A formal challenge to your mark before it registers.
Filed at the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board during the publication window by someone who believes your registration would harm them. It is an adversarial proceeding with pleadings, discovery and evidence - closer to litigation than paperwork.
Why it matters to your application
The point at which a trademark stops being an administrative process and becomes a dispute with another party. Costs rise sharply, and most oppositions settle - which makes what you can realistically concede worth thinking about before positions harden.
In order
- Read what is actually being claimed. The grounds are specific and not all are strong.
- Work out what the other side wants. Often it is a narrower description rather than your withdrawal.
- Weigh settlement honestly against the cost and time of defending.
- Respond within the deadline. Failing to answer can lose the application by default.
How this plays out
A new brand is opposed by an established one in an adjacent category. The two settle on a coexistence agreement narrowing the new brand's description. Both keep their marks, and the dispute ends in weeks rather than years.
About opposition
How long does an opposition take?
Contested proceedings commonly run well over a year. Most settle before reaching a decision.
What happens if I ignore an opposition?
You can lose the application by default. An answer is required within the set period.
Can we just agree to coexist?
Often, yes. Coexistence and consent agreements are a common outcome, though the USPTO is not bound to accept every arrangement.
General information about USPTO procedure, not legal advice about your situation. Always confirm the status and deadlines on your own application in USPTO TSDR.
Others you will meet at this stage
Allegation of use
Proof you have started actually selling under the mark.
FilingApplicant
The person or business that will own the registration.
FilingBasis for filing
Why you are entitled to file: you use it, or you intend to.
FilingClass
The category your goods or services fall into. Fees are per class.
Filing