Author Topic: Cockygate settlement (Read 4471 times) Tweet

The Fussy Librarian · « **on:** July 24, 2018, 02:21:18 pm »

CD Reiss tweeted this morning:

"Jennifer Watson and the Cocky Collective are happy to announce a settlement has been reached in Hop Hop Productions Inc. vs. Kevin Kneupper, Tara Crescent and Jennifer Watson. The plaintiff has surrendered her trademark registrations for COCKY and has withdrawn the lawsuit.

"We are extremely pleased with this outcome and are grateful for the support this community has shown.

"We believe in the strength of this community, freedom of creative expression for authors, artists, and creative professionals. We believe in integrity, lifting and building up others and celebrate each other's successes. And with the settlement behind us, that is what we will strive for moving forward.

"Special thanks to attorneys Cameron Rueben and Lauren Emerson of Leason Ellis LLP. It's due to their tireless efforts that this case has drawn to a close.

"We'd also like to thank the online publishing community for their continued support over the past couple of months. We appreciate it greatly."

https://twitter.com/CDReisswriter/status/1021783808637460480

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Patty Jansen · « **Reply #1 on:** July 24, 2018, 02:24:54 pm »

Holy crap, we'll call that a win!

Now for the other ones.

C. Gold · « **Reply #2 on:** July 24, 2018, 02:26:56 pm »

Sweet, thanks for the update. This is good news.

lyndabelle · « **Reply #3 on:** July 24, 2018, 02:40:37 pm »

This is great news!

unkownwriter · « **Reply #4 on:** July 24, 2018, 02:56:09 pm »

Absolutely a win! I'm so happy for those involved in this mess that it is now over, and they can get back to focusing on their business without worrying about this.

ChristinaGarner · « **Reply #5 on:** July 24, 2018, 03:13:18 pm »

Very happy for all of those drawn into this needless litigation. I hope the settlement included compensation for their legal bills.

Becca Mills · « **Reply #6 on:** July 24, 2018, 04:00:51 pm »

Wonderful news. I'll leave this open for a while to catch people's attention, then eventually fold it into the Cockygate mega-thread.

RPatton · « **Reply #7 on:** July 24, 2018, 07:45:33 pm »

Am I the only one sad that I won't be able to imagine the honorable judge Hellerstein attempt to say the word cocky multiple times in a sentence while maintaining a straight face? Or that I can't read his observations about the cover art?

But seriously this is really good news. And it's good news because of the terms we know about the settlement. This doesn't look to be a compromise. This looks like it's a full on surrender.

AltMe · « **Reply #8 on:** July 24, 2018, 10:05:32 pm »

I wont believe it's finished until the Trademark office confirms the TM no longer exists.

Rose Andrews · « **Reply #9 on:** July 24, 2018, 10:27:43 pm »

Hell yeah! Go Indies! Viva creative freedom!

Reaper · « **Reply #10 on:** July 24, 2018, 11:05:20 pm »

Relieved to see this.

JB Rowley · « **Reply #11 on:** July 24, 2018, 11:59:36 pm »

Fantastic news! Glad someone had the sense to put a stop to all that poppycock.

Paul Mathews · « **Reply #12 on:** July 25, 2018, 12:52:42 am »

I don't know about you guys, but I'm cock-a-hoop!

alawston · « **Reply #13 on:** July 25, 2018, 01:52:53 am »

Quote from: JB Rowley on July 24, 2018, 11:59:36 pm

Fantastic news! Glad someone had the sense to put a stop to all that poppycock.

And indeed cockypop.

unkownwriter · « **Reply #14 on:** July 25, 2018, 04:21:23 am »

Quote

Am I the only one sad that I won't be able to imagine the honorable judge Hellerstein attempt to say the word cocky multiple times in a sentence while maintaining a straight face? Or that I can't read his observations about the cover art?

Guilty.

But it's bound to be such a relief for those involved to finally be done with it.

BWFoster78 · « **Reply #15 on:** July 25, 2018, 04:52:02 am »

Awesome!

Sales of my first novel are lagging. Now, I can retitle it: Rise of the Cocky Mages.

It's going to be huge!

Fel Beasley · « **Reply #16 on:** July 25, 2018, 04:59:55 am »

Quote from: TimothyEllis on July 24, 2018, 10:05:32 pm

I wont believe it's finished until the Trademark office confirms the TM no longer exists.

If the trademark isn't withdrawn, it'll violate the terms of the settlement. Violating the terms of a settlement, which is legally binding, has consequences.

AltMe · « **Reply #17 on:** July 25, 2018, 05:03:58 am »

Quote from: HopelessFanatic on July 25, 2018, 04:59:55 am

If the trademark isn't withdrawn, it'll violate the terms of the settlement. Violating the terms of a settlement, which is legally binding, has consequences.

Since it was an approved trademark, what's the process for letting go of it? It cant be as simple as just withdrawing the application.

Mike Coville · « **Reply #18 on:** July 25, 2018, 05:07:48 am »

Guess I should put away from request to trademark the word "The"

This is a step in the right direction for the new age of publishing. Now let's get back to showcasing all the talent that is being made available.

bardsandsages · « **Reply #19 on:** July 25, 2018, 05:28:37 am »

Quote from: TimothyEllis on July 25, 2018, 05:03:58 am

Since it was an approved trademark, what's the process for letting go of it? It cant be as simple as just withdrawing the application.

Actually, it is. There is an online form for it.

https://teas.uspto.gov/rea/

AltMe · « **Reply #20 on:** July 25, 2018, 05:31:56 am »

Quote from: Bards and Sages (Julie) on July 25, 2018, 05:28:37 am

Actually, it is. There is an online form for it.

https://teas.uspto.gov/rea/

Ah, and what happens after the form is processed? Formal notification somewhere public?

bardsandsages · « **Reply #21 on:** July 25, 2018, 05:34:30 am »

Quote from: TimothyEllis on July 25, 2018, 05:31:56 am

Ah, and what happens after the form is processed? Formal notification somewhere public?

The information would be added to the trademark's listing. The Trademark office maintains the database of all active AND inactive trademarks. So if you search for a mark that was previously active that no longer is, you will see it noted as inactive.

AltMe · « **Reply #22 on:** July 25, 2018, 05:37:01 am »

Quote from: Bards and Sages (Julie) on July 25, 2018, 05:34:30 am

The information would be added to the trademark's listing. The Trademark office maintains the database of all active AND inactive trademarks. So if you search for a mark that was previously active that no longer is, you will see it noted as inactive.

Someone wake me when it's noted as inactive.

The Fussy Librarian · « **Reply #23 on:** July 25, 2018, 06:19:03 am »

Video statement from Faleena Hopkins:

https://www.thefussylibrarian.com/newswire/for-authors/2018/07/25/faleena-hopkins-comments-on-settlement

Used To Be BH · « **Reply #24 on:** July 25, 2018, 07:10:55 am »

Quote from: TimothyEllis on July 25, 2018, 05:37:01 am

Someone wake me when it's noted as inactive.

At the risk of being overly optimistic, when it becomes inactive is moot at this point. The holder has agreed to withdraw it and has dropped the earlier suits. Quite aside from the consequences of violating the terms of the settlement, what are the odds she could prevail in court if she sued someone else down the road? Too much is in the public record now for her to successfully defend the mark now.

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