National Arbitration Forum Issues Decision on Rachel Ashwell Web Address

Released on = December 27, 2004, 8:02 am

Press Release Author = National Arbitration Forum

Industry = Law

Press Release Summary = A National Arbitration Forum arbitrator ruled on November 22, 2004 that Shabby Chic, Inc. owned the legal rights to the website address rachelashwell.com in a dispute involving allegations of “cybersquatting” and the
right to control and use this address on the Internet.

Press Release Body = A National Arbitration Forum arbitrator ruled on November 22, 2004 that Shabby Chic, Inc. owned the legal rights to the website address rachelashwell.com in a dispute involving allegations of “cybersquatting” and the right to control and use this address on the Internet.

Representatives of the well-known designer and author, Rachel Ashwell, filed the dispute September 27, 2004 with the Minneapolis-based National Arbitration Forum. Ashwell’s name is synonymous with the advent of “shabby chic”; a style of interior
design that made slip covers “hip” again.

It was determined by the arbitrator that the Respondent, Asia Ventures, Inc., registered the domain name in bad faith in that they registered a domain name containing Ms. Ashwell’s mark for commercial gain. Furthermore, the Respondent’s
domain name is used to advertise Respondent’s “RocketSearch” search engine website and advertisements for a travel service with links to Complainant’s competitors in the business of decorating, furnishing and related services.

The domain dispute was one of thousands heard each year by the National Arbitration Forum under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy ("UDRP") of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers ("ICANN"). The domain name
dispute process is a popular alternative to lengthy and expensive trademark lawsuits.

Copies of the decision, Shabby Chic, Inc. v. Asia Ventures, Inc. are available from the National Arbitration Forum online at the following location:
http://www.arb-forum.com/domains/decisions/335486.htm

About the National Arbitration Forum
The National Arbitration Forum is one of the world’s largest neutral administrators of arbitration and mediation services with a select panel of former judges and experienced senior attorneys providing dispute resolution worldwide. Founded in 1986, the National Arbitration Forum administers more than 50,000 cases annually with offices in New Jersey and Los Angeles in addition to its headquarters in
Minneapolis. Access additional information at the National Arbitration Forum’s website at http://www.arbitration-forum.com.

Additional information on National Arbitration Forum news is also available at http://arbitration-forum.blogspot.com

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Web Site =
http://arbitration-forum.blogspot.com/2004/12/national-arbitration-forum-issues.html

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Amy Johnson