110.01(b) Plan Ahead
ESTTA users are strongly urged to plan ahead. Because unexpected problems can occur, users should keep filing deadlines in mind and allow plenty of time to resolve any issue which may arise. [ Note 1.] The Board will provide general assistance to ESTTA filers, see TBMP § 110.04 (Questions about ESTTA Filing), but cannot guarantee that any problem will be resolved prior to a deadline. As discussed above, ESTTA filing is mandatory. If ESTTA filing is not possible prior to a deadline for any reason, parties should timely submit their filings on paper, using another filing option as appropriate (e.g., certificate of mailing or Priority Mail Express® procedures). See TBMP § 111.02 (Certificate of Mailing), and TBMP § 111.01 (Priority Mail Express® procedure). Any paper filing must be accompanied by a written explanation showing that ESTTA is unavailable due to technical problems, or that extraordinary circumstances are present, and, where required, a Petition to the Director with the requisite petition fee. Petitions to file on paper are generally subject to 37 C.F.R. § 2.146, including the requirement for verified facts. [ Note 2.] However, a Petition to the Director to accept paper submission of a petition to cancel a registration on the fifth year anniversary of the date of registration is subject to the requirements of 37 C.F.R. § 2.147(b), including the requirement for a declaration under 37 C.F.R. § 2.20 or 28 U.S.C. § 1746. [ Note 3.]
Please Note: An extension of time to oppose, or a notice of opposition involving an application under Trademark Act § 66(a) must be filed through ESTTA, and may not under any circumstances be filed in paper form. [ Note 4.] Users should not anticipate that the Board will extend a deadline because it was not possible to file a submission by ESTTA on the due date.
NOTES:
1. Vibe Records Inc. v. Vibe Media Group LLC, 88 USPQ2d 1280, 1282-83 (TTAB 2008) (ESTTA filer encountered unexpected problem in ESTTA filing; filer transmitted notice of opposition by fax. Held: ESTTA filing not received and fax filing is unacceptable; opposition dismissed as a nullity.).
2. 37 C.F.R. § 2.101(b)(2); 37 C.F.R. § 2.102(a)(1); 37 C.F.R. § 2.111(c)(2)(i).
3. 37 C.F.R. § 2.111(c)(2)(ii).
4. See 37 C.F.R. § 2.102(a)(1) (extension of time to oppose) and 37 C.F.R. § 2.101(b)(3) (notice of opposition). CSC Holdings LLC v. SAS Optimhome, 99 USPQ2d 1959, 1960 (TTAB 2011) (any opposition to a Trademark Act § 66(a), 15 U.S.C. § 1141f(a), application must be filed through ESTTA); Hunt Control System, Inc. v. Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V., 98 USPQ2d 1558, 1561 (TTAB 2011) (same); O.C. Seacrets Inc. v. Hotelplan Italia S.p.A., 95 USPQ2d 1327, 1328 n.2 (TTAB 2010) (same).