Leo Stoller v. Google: the final chapter?
Over at the TTABlog, John Welch has a report about what appears to be the final chapter in notorious "intellectual property entrepreneur" Leo Stoller's fight with Google over the rights to the Google trademark. Mr. Stoller, through his various entities, had both opposed Google's application to register the Google mark and also filed for registration on the Google mark for exercise balls and other sports equipment.
For various reasons, Mr. Stoller's companies were in bankruptcy, and then placed in the control of a trustee. Google and the trustee negotiated a settlement where Stoller's companies agreed that they did not own any rights in the Google mark, and would withdraw the opposition and application for Google with the USPTO.
This is, of course, after Mr. Stoller had been sanctioned last year by the TTAB, vacating all of Mr. Stoller's then-current requests for extensions of time to oppose trademark applications, preventing him from filing any additional such requests for two years, and permanently prohibiting him from appearing before the USPTO when not represented by an attorney.
The Illinois Appellate Court, on its own motion, also ordered that Leo Stoller show cause as to why he should not be held in Contempt of Court regarding sixteen appeals. The Court also ordered Leo Stoller to show cause as to why those appeals should not be dismissed.
The Illinois Appellate Court entered the orders in view of an earlier order entered by the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. In that order, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals held that Leo Stoller had been deceptive and referred the matter to the U.S. Attorney to determine whether Leo Stoller should be prosecuted for perjury.
Read the documents at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/27037025/LEO-STOLLER-JUD...