throbber
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Electronic Filing System. http://estta.uspto.gov
`ESTTA497178
`ESTTA Tracking number:
`09/28/2012
`
`Filing date:
`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`BEFORE THE TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`92053945
`Plaintiff
`Darlington Apple Festival, Inc.
`HARA K JACOBS
`BALLARD SPAHR LLP
`1735 MARKET STREET, 51ST FLOOR
`PHILADELPHIA, PA 19103-7599
`UNITED STATES
`jacobsh@ballardspahr.com, phila_tmdocketing@ballardspahr.com,
`sternam@ballardspahr.com, camposcruzl@ballardspahr.com
`Motion for Sanctions
`Hara K. Jacobs
`jacobsh@ballardspahr.com, sternam@ballardspahr.com,
`shorem@ballardspahr.com, phila_tmdocketing@ballardspahr.com
`/Hara K. Jacobs/
`09/28/2012
`20120928_Motion for Sanctions.pdf ( 212 pages )(4110576 bytes )
`
`Proceeding
`Party
`
`Correspondence
`Address
`
`Submission
`Filer's Name
`Filer's e-mail
`
`Signature
`Date
`Attachments
`
`

`
`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`BEFORE THE TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`DARLINGTON APPLE FESTIVAL INC.
`
`Petitioner,
`
`V.
`
`Cancellation No.
`
`92053945
`
`STEPHEN SMITH
`
`Registrant.
`
`PETITIONER’S MOTION FOR SANCTIONS
`
`Petitioner, Darlington Apple Festival Inc. (“Petitioner”), pursuant to 37 CFR §§
`
`2.l20(g)(l) and 2.l20(g)(2), hereby moves the Board for sanctions against Stephen Smith
`
`(“Registrant”).
`
`PRELIMINARY STATEMENT
`
`Petitioner seeks sanctions against Registrant for Registrant’s repeated failure to
`
`abide by the rules and participate in discovery. Registrant has willfully ignored the Board’s
`
`Order compelling him to respond to Petitioner’s discovery requests and has refused to attend a
`
`deposition. Through his purposeful misconduct, Registrant is preventing Petitioner from
`
`obtaining access to documents and testimony that conclusively demonstrate that Registrant
`
`fraudulently procured his trademark registration that is the subj ect of this cancellation proceeding
`
`because he has never used it commerce and he knows that Petitioner is and has been the rightful
`
`owner of the mark well prior to his trademark application. Registrant’s flagrant violation of the
`
`Board’s Order and his discovery obligations should not be countenanced.
`
`

`
`FACTUAL BACKGROUND
`
`Registrant has refused to participate in discovery proceedings. First, in direct
`
`contravention of the Board’s August 315‘ Order, Registrant has not responded to any of
`
`Petitioner’s discovery requests. Petitioner served its First Set of Requests for the Production of
`
`Documents and Things on May 14, 2012, and its First Set of Interrogatories to Registrant on
`
`May 23, 2012. (Dkt. No. 17 at 2). On June 28, 2012, due to a lack of response by Registrant,
`
`Petitioner filed a Motion to Compel Registrant’s responses to Petitioner’s discovery requests.
`
`(Dkt. No. 17). On August 31, 2012, the Board issued an order granting Petitioner’s Motion to
`
`Compel, stating that Registrant was given “20 days from the mailing date of [the] order in which
`
`to respond to petitioner’s first set of interrogatories and first set of document requests, without
`
`objection, failing which a motion for sanctions will be entertained by the Board.” (Dkt. No. 18)
`
`On September 24, 2012, in conjunction with correspondence attempting to secure his deposition
`
`testimony, Petitioner inquired as to the status of Registrant’s overdue discovery responses.
`
`(Jacobs Decl. at 1112; Email from Hara K. Jacobs, Esq. to Stephen Smith, dated September 24,
`
`2012, Exh. H to Jacobs Decl.). On September 24, 2012, Registrant replied to Petitioner’s
`
`correspondence, indicating his refusal to participate in discovery proceedings, and urging
`
`Petitioner to involve the Board. (Jacobs Decl. at 1113; Email from Stephen Smith to Hara K.
`
`Jacobs, Esq., dated September 24, 2012, Exh. Ito Jacobs Decl.) As of September 28, 2012,
`
`Petitioner has not received responses to its outstanding discovery requests. (Jacobs Decl. at 1[5).
`
`Thus, Registrant has directly flouted the Board’s Order.
`
`Consistent with Registrant’s fundamental disregard for the rules, Registrant has
`
`refused to appear for his deposition. Petitioner initially noticed Registrant’s deposition for July
`
`3, 2012. (Jacobs Decl. at 1[2; Email from Andrew M. Stern, Esq. to Stephen Smith, dated June
`
`

`
`12, 2012, Exh. A to Jacobs Decl.). Petitioner received no response from Registrant regarding the
`
`notice. (Jacobs Decl. at 112). After Registrant failed to respond to the deposition notice and failed
`
`to produce responses to Petitioner’s discovery requests, Petitioner informed Registrant that it was
`
`forced to reschedule the deposition until Registrant provided his discovery responses. (Jacobs
`
`Decl. at 1l4; Email from Andrew M. Stern, Esq. to Stephen Smith, dated June 29, 2012, Exh. B to
`
`Jacobs Decl.).
`
`Petitioner re-noticed Registrant’s deposition for September 25, 2012, but
`
`Registrant was again uncooperative in its scheduling and attendance. (Jacobs Decl. at fl[6; Email
`
`from Andrew M. Stern, Esq. to Stephen Smith, dated September 12, 2012, Exh. C to Jacobs
`
`Decl.). Petitioner did not receive a response from Registrant until Sunday, September 16, 2012,
`
`when Registrant expressly refused to attend the deposition. (Jacobs Decl. at fl[7; Email from
`
`Stephen Smith to Andrew M. Stern, Esq., dated September 16, 2012, Exh. D to Jacobs Decl.).
`
`Registrant stated he would attend a deposition either the next day (Monday), on Rosh Hashanah,
`
`or in November, after the presidential election.
`
`I_d_. He further stated that he would not
`
`participate in a discovery until “I know who are the people you represent in addition to there
`
`[sic] address and full names!” I_d_.
`
`Petitioner’s counsel responded to Registrant that same day, on Sunday, September
`
`16”‘, requesting that Registrant either confirm his attendance at the deposition as originally
`
`noticed, or provide another date and time that would be mutually convenient. (Jacobs Decl. at
`
`1l8; Email from Hara K. Jacobs, Esq. to Stephen Smith, dated September 16, 2012, Exh. E to
`
`Jacobs Decl.). Registrant did not respond. (Jacobs Decl. at1l10). On September 20, 2012,
`
`Petitioner again contacted Registrant, requesting confirmation of his deposition attendance or
`
`another mutually agreeable date in the discovery period. (Jacobs Decl. at fl[9; Email from Hara
`
`

`
`K. Jacobs, Esq. to Stephen Smith, dated September 20, 2012, Exh. F to Jacobs Decl.). Registrant
`
`did not reply to Petitioner’s email for four days. He then claimed that he would only be available
`
`for deposition on Sunday, September 30, 2012 at 2 p.m. (Jacobs Decl. at 1111; Email from
`
`Stephen Smith to Hara K. Jacobs, Esq. dated September 24, 2012, Exh. G to Jacobs Decl.).
`
`Petitioner replied immediately, explaining that a Sunday was not feasible, and, in any case, was
`
`after the close of discovery. (Jacobs Decl. at 1112; Email from Hara K. Jacobs, Esq. to Stephen
`
`Smith, dated September 24, 2012, Exh. H to Jacobs Decl.). Registrant responded by stating that
`
`he would no longer communicate with Petitioner regarding discovery matters and encouraged
`
`Petitioner to involve the Board. (Jacobs Decl. at 1113; Email from Stephen Smith to Hara K.
`
`Jacobs, Esq., dated September 24, 2012, Exh. Ito Jacobs Decl.).
`
`ARGUMENT
`
`As a party to this proceeding, Registrant has a duty to cooperate with Petitioner in
`
`the discovery process, including the provision of responses to interrogatories and document
`
`requests, and the attendance at a deposition. TBMP §§ 408.01 and 408.02 (“A party served with
`
`a request for discovery has a duty to thoroughly search its records for all information properly
`
`sought in the request, and to provide such information to the requesting party within the time
`
`allowed for responding to the request”); Panda Travel Inc. v. Resort Option Enter., Inc., 94
`
`U.S.P.Q.2d. 1789, 1791 (TTAB 2009) (“Each party has a duty to make a good faith effort to
`
`satisfy the reasonable and appropriate discovery needs of its adversary”); Sunrider Corp. v.
`
`Raats, 83 U.S.P.Q.2d 1648, 1654 (TTAB 2007) (parties have a duty to cooperate in resolving
`
`conflicts in the scheduling and taking of depositions). A party that fails to cooperate in these
`
`discovery proceedings can be the subj ect of a motion to compel. TBMP § 411. And where a
`
`party does not comply with a motion to compel that is granted by the Board, or explicitly refuses
`
`

`
`to participate in discovery altogether, the Board may enter appropriate sanctions, including,
`
`among other things, entry of default judgment. 37 CFR §§ 2.120(g)(1) and 2.120(g)(2); TBMP
`
`§§ 527.01(a) and 527.01(b).
`
`I.
`
`Registrant Should Be Sanctioned for Violating the Board’s Order
`
`Registrant has not only failed to provide discovery responses as ordered by the
`
`Board, but has expressly refused to further communicate with Petitioner with regard to discovery
`
`proceedings, and is therefore subject to sanctions under 37 CFR §2.120(g)(1). Petitioner’s
`
`previously filed Motion to Compel was granted on August 31, 2012, with the Board stating that
`
`Registrant had twenty (20) days from the issuance of the order to serve discovery responses to
`
`Petitioner, i.e., September 20, 2012. (Dkt. No. 18). It is now September 27, 2012, and Petitioner
`
`has not received responses to its outstanding discovery requests. (Jacobs Decl. at 115). In fact,
`
`when questioned about the outstanding requests, Registrant replied that he will no longer
`
`communicate with Petitioner. (Email from Stephen Smith to Hara K. Jacobs, Esq., dated
`
`September 24, 2012, Exh. Ito Jacobs Decl.). Not only is Registrant refusing to participate in
`
`discovery as a party to this proceeding, but he is flouting the Board’s Order compelling
`
`responses to Petitioner’s discovery requests. Registrant has provided no legitimate reason for his
`
`refusal to participate in the discovery process.
`
`Registrant’s behavior is no different from that of the applicant in Caterpillar
`
`Tractor Co. v. Catfish Anglers Together, Inc., 194 U.S.P.Q. 99, 100 (TTAB 1976). There, the
`
`opposer issued its first set of interrogatories on May 21, 1976, and when it was still without any
`
`response, filed a motion to compel on July 19, 1976. The motion was granted on August 17,
`
`1976, with applicant allowed until September 16, 1976, to answer opposer’s interrogatories.
`
`When applicant failed to answer by September 23, 1976, opposer moved to have a default
`
`judgment entered against the applicant. In the following month, the applicant filed various
`
`

`
`documents with the Board, some appearing to address opposer’s motion for default judgment,
`
`but none addressing his overdue responses to interrogatories. The Board noted:
`
`Applicant has made absolutely no response to the interrogatories
`served by opposer over seven months ago. It has not even made
`casual reference to them in arguing against opposer’s motion for
`sanctions and judgment. No reason for failure to comply with the
`order compelling discovery has been given.
`I_d_.
`
`The Board explained that the Applicant had not complied with the Trademark Rules in any sense
`
`with respect to opposer’s interrogatories, and that “[i]n the absence of even an excuse or reason
`
`by applicant explaining or mitigating its failure to comply, the Board is left with no basis for
`
`proceeding with the opposition.” Ld. As a result, the Board entered a default judgment against
`
`the Applicant.
`
`_Igd_.
`
`Petitioner finds itself in the exact same situation. Petitioner served requests for
`
`production and interrogatories in May 2012. (Dkt. No. 17 at 2). After receiving no response
`
`from Registrant, Petitioner filed its Motion to Compel on June 28, 2012, and the Board granted
`
`the motion on August 31, 2012. (Dkt. Nos. 17 and 18). It is now over four months since
`
`Petitioner initially served its discovery requests, and it is without any responses or responsive
`
`documents from Registrant. (Jacobs Decl. at 115). When asked about the status of the
`
`outstanding discovery requests, Registrant skirted the question, and responded by saying that he
`
`will no longer communicate with Petitioner regarding discovery matters. (Email from Stephen
`
`Smith to Hara K. Jacobs, Esq., dated September 24, 2012, Exh. Ito Jacobs Decl.). Thus, not
`
`only has Registrant provided no reason for his refusal to participate in discovery, he flat out
`
`refuses to do so. Caterpillar, 194 U.S.P.Q. at 100. A default judgment in Petitioner’s favor
`
`cancelling Petitioner’s registration is appropriate here because Registrant, like the applicant in
`
`Caterpillar, will not play by the rules.
`
`

`
`II.
`
`Registrant’s Failure to Attend His Deposition and
`Refusal to Communicate with Petitioner Regarding
`His Discovery Obligations Further Demonstrates the Need for Sanctions
`
`In addition to Registrant’s failure to provide responses to Petitioner’s discovery
`
`requests, Registrant refuses to cooperate with Petitioner in the scheduling of his deposition, and
`
`has expressly stated that he will not fulfill this obligation, and is therefore subject to sanctions
`
`under 37 CFR §2.120(g)(2).
`
`_S_e_§ Kairos Inst. of Sound Healing, LLC V. Doolittle Gardens, LLC,
`
`88 U.S.P.Q.2d. 1541 (TTAB 2008) (sanctions under 37 CFR §2.120(g)(2) available where party
`
`bearing discovery obligation affirmatively states that discovery will not be forthcoming).
`
`Registrant’s explicit refusal to cooperate in securing his deposition testimony is inexcusable. In
`
`
`S. Indus. Inc. v. Lamb—Weston Inc., the Board granted a party’s motion to compel deposition
`
`testimony because the opposing party refused to attend its deposition and would not cooperate in
`
`rescheduling the deposition. 45 U.S.P.Q.2d. 1293 (TTAB 1997). Lamb—Weston, filed a motion
`
`to compel petitioner, S. Industries, and its president, Leo Stoller, to appear at a Fed. R. Civ. P.
`
`30(b)(6) deposition. Li. at 1297. Lamb-Weston served a proper notice of deposition, but the
`
`petitioner expressly refused to attend the deposition because Mr. Stoller would supposedly be
`
`attending another deposition during the week of the noticed deposition. Id Additionally, Lamb-
`
`Weston offered to reschedule the date of deposition, but Mr. Stoller indicated that he would be
`
`unavailable for several months. Li. at 1297-1298. The Board found that Lamb-Weston’s notice
`
`of deposition was timely served and that it had, in good faith, sought to resolve the matter before
`
`bringing it to the attention of the Board, by offering to reschedule the deposition on an
`
`alternative date. Q at 1298. The Board indicated that the petitioner and Mr. Stoller, “on the
`
`other hand, [have] been wholly uncooperative,” noting that “[i]t is obvious from the record that
`
`respondent [(Lamb-Weston)] has made every attempt to accommodate petitioner. However,
`
`petitioner has refused to reschedule the deposition within a reasonable time period.” I_d. The
`
`

`
`Board granted Lamb-Weston’s motion to compel the petitioner’s deposition appearance as
`
`scheduled by Lamb—Weston.
`
`I_d.
`
`Registrant’s refusal to appear for deposition is similarly unjustifiable. Registrant
`
`has simply been playing games with Petitioner and has no intention of cooperating with
`
`Petitioner’s requests. Like Lamb-Weston, Petitioner has made several attempts to secure the
`
`deposition testimony of Registrant, and has, in good faith, sought to resolve the matter before
`
`bringing it to the attention of the Board. (Jacobs Decl. at W 6, 8 and 9). However, Registrant,
`
`much like Leo Stoller, has expressly refused to attend the deposition as noticed, and would not
`
`cooperate with Petitioner to schedule a mutually convenient time for both parties. The dates
`
`offered by Mr. Smith in his September 16”‘ correspondence were impossible to accommodate,
`
`which was precisely Registrant’s intention. (E email from Stephen Smith to Andrew M. Stern,
`
`Esq., dated September 16, 2012, Exh. D to Jacobs Decl.) After reaching out to Registrant several
`
`times with no response, Registrant finally responded to Petitioner’s correspondence, offering to
`
`appear for his deposition on Sunday, September 30, 2012 at 2 p.m. (Email from Stephen Smith
`
`to Hara K. Jacobs, Esq., dated September 24, 2012, Exh. G to Jacobs Decl.) Of course,
`
`Registrant does not acknowledge the fact that his “offer” of compromise is futile, being on a
`
`weekend, and outside of the discovery deadline set by the Board. After further correspondence,
`
`with Petitioner explaining that the suggested date is outside of the discovery period set by the
`
`Board, Mr. Smith replied that he will no longer communicate with Petitioner on this matte.
`
`(Jacobs Decl. at W 12-13; Email from Hara K. Jacobs, Esq.. to Stephen Smith, dated September
`
`24, 2012, Exh. H to Jacobs Decl.; Email from Stephen Smith to Hara K. Jacobs, Esq., dated
`
`September 24, 2012, Exh. Ito Jacobs Decl.).
`
`

`
`Unlike Mr. Stoller, Registrant has not provided any reason for his inflexibility,
`
`and, furthermore, has not provided responses to Petitioner’s discovery requests, which is what
`
`caused the initial rescheduling of Mr. Smith’s deposition testimony. (Jacobs Decl. at W 4, 5 and
`
`7; Email from Andrew M. Stern, Esq. to Stephen Smith, dated June 29, 2012, Exh. B to Jacobs
`
`Decl.). Mr. Smith has been wholly uncooperative and flat out refuses to negotiate a mutually
`
`convenient time for his deposition testimony, only suggesting times that would clearly never
`
`work under the circumstances. Registrant has failed to cooperate in scheduling his deposition,
`
`and has informed Petitioner that he will no longer communicate with Petitioner about the same.
`
`III.
`
`The Appropriate Sanction Under the Circumstances is a Default Judgment
`
`Registrant’s flouting of the Board’s Order, willful refusal to participate in
`
`discovery, and his explicit response to Petitioner’s correspondence that he will not do so,
`
`demonstrates the need for the ultimate sanction of a default judgment in this case. While default
`
`judgment is a harsh remedy, it is justified where no less drastic remedy would be effective, and
`
`there is a strong showing of willful evasion. Barone Philippe de Rothschild S.A. V. Sty]-Rite
`
`gm, 55 U.S.P.Q.2d. 1848, 1854. Much like in Caterpillar, it is clear from Registrant’s failure
`
`to provide responses to Petitioner’s discovery requests, the lack of any reason for doing so, and
`
`Registrant’s unequivocal statement that he will no longer communicate with Petitioner regarding
`
`discovery, that Registrant has no interest in proceeding with this case or complying with orders
`
`issued by the Board. Registrant is willfully evading any and all attempts from Petitioner and the
`
`Board to secure discovery responses, and, therefore, the only effective remedy is the entry
`
`default judgment against Registrant. Caterpillar Tractor Co. v. Catfish Anglers Together, Inc.,
`
`194 U.S.P.Q. 99, 100 (TTAB 1976).
`
`IV.
`
`Alternatively, the Board Should Admit Critical Documents
`into Evidence that Registrant Has Refused to Produce
`and Reguire Registrant to Appear for His Deposition
`
`

`
`
`In the alternative, Petitioner requests that, inter alia the Board admit into
`
`evidence emails between Registrant and Ms. Jennifer Tisch, a graphic designer, that Petitioner
`
`obtained by subpoena from Ms. Tisch. (Jacobs Decl. at 1ll4; Documents received from J. Tisch,
`
`Exhibit J to Jacobs Decl.). The e-mails explain that Registrant obtained the services of Ms.
`
`Tisch to put together a website for “The Darlington Apple Festival.” 15; Critically, the e-mails
`
`show that Ms. Tisch was confused by Registrant ’s requestfor a website, believing that Registrant
`
`was acting on behalfofPetitioner, Darlington Apple Festival, Inc. ld, Further, the emails
`
`indicate that although the commissioned website was never accessible by the public, and was
`
`only kept as a mock-up design (which Registrant knew full well), Registrant nonetheless
`
`fraudulently submitted the mock-up website to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as evidence
`
`of his purported use of THE DARLINGTON APPLE FESTIVAL mark.
`
`I_d_,
`
`The foregoing emails among Ms. Tisch and Registrant are directly responsive to
`
`Petitioner’s document requests, which seek all documents concerning Ms. Tisch and all
`
`communications between Registrant and Ms. Tisch. (Jacobs Decl. at 1ll5; Exhibit K to Jacobs
`
`Decl. at Request Nos. 20-21.) However, Registrant has refused to produce any documents to
`
`Petitioner and has refused to attend a deposition to answer questions about these documents, thus
`
`effectively depriving Petitioner of the critical evidence that literally makes Petitioner’s case.1
`
`Under the unique circumstances presented here, if a default judgment is not entered, Petitioner
`
`respectfully requests an order:
`
`0
`
`admitting all of the documents produced by Ms. Tisch into evidence (attached at Exhibit
`J hereto);
`
`Ms. Tisch is seriously ill and is unable to attend a deposition. (Jacobs decl. 1] 16.) We
`are advised by her counsel that it is unlikely that she will be able to give testimony in this
`case. (Li) Petitioner suspects that Registrant is aware of Ms. Tisch’s current health
`situation and, together with his willful refusal to participate in discovery, is attempting to
`use it to his advantage.
`
`

`
`0 permitting Ms. Tisch to testify through an affidavit; and
`
`0
`
`requiring Registrant to appear for his deposition at the Baltimore office of Petitioner’s
`counsel and granting only Petitioner a brief extension of the discovery period to enable
`Petitioner to take Registrant’s deposition.
`
`Although these remedies will not provide Petitioner with the same discovery that it should have
`
`received from Registrant, it would alleviate some but not all of the prejudice that Petitioner has
`
`suffered and will continue to suffer as a result of Registrant’s willful refusal to produce
`
`responsive documents, answer interrogatories and to appear for his deposition.
`
`CONCLUSION
`
`For the foregoing reasons, Petitioner respectfully requests that the Board grant
`
`Petitioner’s Motion for Sanctions and issue a default judgment against Registrant, or, in the
`
`alternative, grant Petitioner’s alternative request for sanctions. Petitioner respectfully requests
`
`that the Board suspend the proceedings pending the disposition of Petitioner’s motion.
`
`Date: September 28, 2012
`
`Respectfully submitted,
`
`BALLARD SPA
`
`LLP
`
`1735 Market Street, 51“ Floor
`Philadelphia, PA 19103-7599
`215.665.8500
`
`Attorney for Petitioner Darlington Apple
`Festival, Inc.
`
`

`
`CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
`
`1, Andrew M. Stern, hereby certify that on today’s date, I caused a copy of the
`
`foregoing Petitioner’s Motion for Sanctions, to be served by Priority Mail on the Registrant as
`
`set forth below:
`
`STEPHEN SMITH
`
`4539 CONOWINGO ROAD
`
`DARLINGTON, MD 21034
`
`Dated: September 28, 2012
`
`

`
`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`BEFORE THE TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`DARLINGTON APPLE FESTIVAL INC.
`
`STEPHEN SMITH
`
`Petitioner,
`
`V.
`
`Registrant.
`
`Cancellation No.
`
`92053945
`
`DECLARATION OF HARA K. JACOBS
`
`I, Hara K. Jacobs, declare as follows:
`
`1.
`
`I am a partner in the law firm of Ballard Spahr LLP, counsel for Petitioner,
`
`Darlington Apple Festival, Inc. (“Petitioner”) in the above-captioned proceeding.
`
`I submit this
`
`Declaration in support of Petitioner’s Motion for Sanctions.
`
`2.
`
`On June 12, 2012, Petitioner, through counsel, served a Notice of Deposition
`
`upon Stephen Smith (“Registrant”), scheduling Registrant’s deposition for July 3, 2012, attached
`
`hereto as Exhibit A. Petitioner received no response from Registrant regarding this notice.
`
`3.
`
`On June 28, 2012, Petitioner filed its Motion to Compel due to Registrant’s
`
`failure to provide responses to Petitioner’s discovery requests. (Dkt. No. 17).
`
`4.
`
`On June 29, 2012, Andrew Stern, Esq., an associate with our firm working on this
`
`matter, e-mailed Registrant to inform him that due to his failure to provide timely discovery
`
`

`
`responses, Petitioner’s counsel would reschedule Registrant’s deposition to a later date, once the
`
`responses were received. A copy of Mr. Stern’s e—mail is attached as Exhibit B.
`
`5.
`
`To date, Registrant has not responded to Petitioner’s outstanding discovery
`
`requests.
`
`6.
`
`On September 12, 2012 Petitioner served a second Notice of Deposition upon
`
`Registrant, scheduling Registrant’s deposition for September 25, 2012, attached hereto as Exhibit
`
`C.
`
`7.
`
`On September 16, 2012, Registrant responded to Petitioner by email, indicating
`
`his refusal to comply with Petitioner’s Notice of Deposition, with no justification as to why he
`
`could not attend the deposition as noticed, and providing alternative dates that would be
`
`convenient for him. A copy of Mr. Smith’s email is attached as Exhibit D.
`
`8.
`
`On September 16, 2012, I responded to Registrant’s email, explaining that the
`
`deposition could not be rescheduled to the dates offered by Registrant, because the first date was
`
`less than twenty-four hours notice and fell on a religious holiday observed by Petitioner’s
`
`counsel, and the second date was well beyond the close of discovery. Petitioner sought to
`
`confirm Registrant’s attendance at the deposition as noticed, and offered to reschedule to a
`
`mutually agreeable date and time. A copy of my email is attached as Exhibit E.
`
`

`
`9.
`
`Registrant did not respond to my September 16, 2012 e-mail.
`
`10.
`
`On September 20, 2012, I followed up with a second email to Registrant, and
`
`again requested confirmation that Registrant would attend the deposition as scheduled, or
`
`suggest another date and time that would be more convenient. A copy of my email is attached as
`
`Exhibit F.
`
`11.
`
`On September 24, 2012, Registrant responded to my email dated September 20,
`
`2012, indicating that the only time he would be available to meet with Petitioner would be
`
`Sunday, September 30, 2012 at 2 p.m. A copy of Mr. Smith’s email is attached as Exhibit G.
`
`12.
`
`On September 24, 2012, I replied to Registrant’s email dated September 24, 2012,
`
`reiterating that the dates proposed by Registrant are outside of the discovery period and inquiring
`
`as to the status of overdue responses to Petitioner’s discovery requests. A copy of my email is
`
`attached as Exhibit H.
`
`13.
`
`On September 24, 2012, Registrant replied to my email dated September 24,
`
`2012, indicating that he “will now cease this communication” with Petitioner. A copy of Mr.
`
`Smith’s email is attached as Exhibit 1.
`
`

`
`14.
`
`On May 7, 2012, Petitioner issued a subpoena to Ms. Jennifer Tisch, a graphic
`
`designer in Bel Air, Maryland. Based on the documentation received from Ms. Tisch, Registrant
`
`requested that Ms. Tisch build him a website to publicize “The Darlington Apple Festival,”
`
`however, the documentation indicates that the website was never accessible by the public, was
`
`only a mock~up and that Registrant was fully aware of these facts. Additionally, Ms. Tisch’s
`
`emails indicate that she was under the impression that Registrant was obtaining her services on
`
`behalf of Petitioner, Darlington Apple Festival, Inc. A copy of the pertinent documentation
`
`received from Ms. Tisch is attached as Exhibit J.
`
`15.
`
`The e-mails that Ms. Tisch produced are directly responsive to Petitioner’s First
`
`Set of Document Requests, including Request Nos. 20 and 21, and should have been produced
`
`by Registrant. A copy of Petitioner’s First Set of Requests for the Production of Documents is
`
`attached as Exhibit K.
`
`16.
`
`I have been advised by counsel for Ms. Tisch that she is seriously ill and,
`
`therefore, unable to attend a deposition at the present time.
`
`I have been further advised that
`
`because of her illness, it is unlikely that she will be able to give testimony in this case during the
`
`testimony period.
`
`I declare, under penalty of perjury, that the foregoing is true and correct.
`
`Dated: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
`
`September 28, 2012
`
`

`
`EXHIBIT A
`
`

`
`Stern, Andrew M. (Phila)
`
`From:
`
`Sent:
`To:
`Cc:
`
`Subject:
`
`Mr. Smith:
`
`Stern, Andrew M. (Phila)
`
`Tuesday, June 12, 2012 5:52 PM
`'stephenhque@gmail.com'
`Jacobs, Hara K.
`(Phila)
`
`Darlington Apple Festival Cancellation Proceeding —— Notice of Deposition
`
`Pursuant to Rule 30 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and 37 C.F.R. § 2120, we are enclosing a notice of
`deposition which requires your appearance at our offices for deposition testimony on July 3, 2012 at 10AM.
`
`We are additionally enclosing a copy of a subpoena being sewed on Ms. Jennifer Tisch for her deposition testimony.
`
`Thank you.
`

`
`Sta n -0024 . p elf
`
`Sea n -0022 . p dlf
`
`Andrew Stern
`
`Ballard Spahr, LLP
`1735 Market Street, 51st Floor
`Philadelphia, PA 19103-7599
`Direct: 215.864.8127
`Fax: 215.864.8999
`
`sternam@ba||ardspahr.com | www.ba|lardspahr.com
`
`

`
`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`BEFORE THE TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`DARLINGTON APPLE FESTIVAL INC.
`
`Petitioner,
`
`v.
`
`Cancellation No.
`
`92053945
`
`STEPHEN SMITH
`
`Registrant.
`
`NOTICE OF DEPOSITION
`
`PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that in accordance with Rules 30 of the Federal Rules
`
`of Civil Produce and 37 CPR. § 2.120, Petitioner, Darlington Apple Festival, Inc. (“Petitioner”),
`
`by its undersigned counsel, will take the deposition upon oral examination of Stephen Smith
`
`(“Registrant”). The deposition will commence on July 3, 2012, at 10:00 am., at the offices of
`
`Ballard Spahr LLP, 1735 Market Street, 51st Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103, and will continue
`
`day to day until completed. The deposition will be taken before an officer authorized by law to
`
`administer oaths pursuant to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and shall be recorded by
`
`sound, visual and/or steno graphic means.
`
`Dated: June 12, 2012
`
`I-Iara K. Jacobs
`BALLARD SPAHR LLP
`
`1735 Market Street, 51“ Floor
`Philadelphia, PA 19103-7599
`215.665.8500
`ATTORNEY FOR PETITIONER
`
`DMEAST15163998 V1
`
`

`
`CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
`
`I, Andrew M. Stern, hereby certify that on today’s date, I caused a copy of the foregoing
`
`Notice of Deposition, to be served by First Class Mail on the Registrant as set forth below:
`
`STEPHEN SMITH
`4539 CONOWINGO ROAD
`
`DARLINGTON, MD 21034
`
`Dated: June 12, 2012
`
`DMEAST 15183998 V1
`
`l\.'J
`
`

`
`EXHIBIT B
`
`

`
`Stern, Andrew M. (Phila)
`
`From:
`
`Sent:
`To:
`Cc:
`
`Subject:
`
`Mr. Smith,
`
`Stern, Andrew M. (Phila)
`
`Friday, June 29, 2012 2:24 PM
`’stephenhque@gmail.com‘
`Jacobs, Hara K.
`(Phila)
`
`Deposition in Darlington Apple Festival Cancellation Proceeding
`
`Yesterday, we filed a Motion to Compel your discovery responses because you have not responded to Petitioner's
`outstanding document or interrogatory requests, you have not produced any documents and you have not responded to
`any of our emails on this subject. Please be advised that we are rescheduling your deposition originally set for July 3rd so
`that we can have your documents and interrogatory responses at the time of your deposition. We look fonivard to
`receiving your production of documents and your interrogatory responses so that we can reschedule your deposition.
`
`Thank you.
`
`Andrew Stern
`
`Ballard Spahr, LLP
`1735 Market Street, 51st Floor
`Philadelphia, PA 19103-7599
`Direct: 215.864.8127
`Fax: 215.864.8999
`
`sternam@ballardspahr.com | www.ballardsgahr.com
`
`

`
`EXHIBIT C
`
`

`
`Stern, Andrew M. (Phila)
`
`From:
`
`Sent:
`To:
`Cc:
`
`Subject:
`Attachments:
`
`Mr. Smith:
`
`Stern, Andrew M. (Phila)
`
`Wednesday, September 12, 2012 1:50 PM
`'stephenhque@gmail.com’
`Jacobs, Hara K.
`(Phila)
`
`Darlington Apple Festival Cancellation Proceeding —— Notice of Deposition
`Scan—0O37.pdf
`
`Pursuant to Rule 30 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and 37 C.F.R. § 2120, we are enclosing a notice of
`deposition which requires your appearance at our offices for deposition testimony on September 25, 2012 at 9:00 am.
`
`Thank you.
`
`Andrew Stern
`
`Ballard Spahr, LLP
`1735 Market Street, 51st Floor
`Philadelphia, PA 19103-7599
`Direct: 215.864.8127
`Fax: 215.864.8999
`
`sternam@ballardspahr.com | www.ba|lardsgahr.com
`
`

`
`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`BEFORE THE TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`DARLINGTON APPLE FESTIVAL INC.
`
`Petitioner,
`
`V.
`
`Cancellation No.
`
`92053945
`
`STEPHEN SMITH
`
`Registrant.
`
`NOTICE OF DEPOSITION
`
`PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that in accordance with Rules 30 of the Federal Rules
`
`of Civil Produce and 37 C.F.R. § 2120, Petitioner, Darlington Apple Festival, Inc. (“Petitioner”),
`
`by its undersigned counsel, will take the deposition upon oral examination of Stephen Smith
`
`(“Registrant”). The deposition will commence on September 25, 2012, at 9:00 a.m., at the
`
`offices of Ballard Spahr LLP, 1735 Market Street, 51st Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103, and will
`
`continue day to day until completed. The deposition will be taken before an officer authorized
`
`by law to administer oaths pursuant to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and shall be recorded
`
`by sound, visual and/or stenographic means.
`
`Dated: September 12, 2012
`
`. Jaco
`Hara
`BALLARD SPAHR LLP
`1735 Market Street, 51“ Floor
`Philadelphia, PA 19103-7599
`215.665.8500
`ATTORNEY FOR PETITIONBR
`
`DMEAST 15163998 V1
`
`

`
`CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
`
`1, Andrew M. Stern, hereby certify that

This document is available on Docket Alarm but you must sign up to view it.


Or .

Accessing this document will incur an additional charge of $.

After purchase, you can access this document again without charge.

Accept $ Charge
throbber

Still Working On It

This document is taking longer than usual to download. This can happen if we need to contact the court directly to obtain the document and their servers are running slowly.

Give it another minute or two to complete, and then try the refresh button.

throbber

A few More Minutes ... Still Working

It can take up to 5 minutes for us to download a document if the court servers are running slowly.

Thank you for your continued patience.

This document could not be displayed.

We could not find this document within its docket. Please go back to the docket page and check the link. If that does not work, go back to the docket and refresh it to pull the newest information.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

You need a Paid Account to view this document. Click here to change your account type.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

Set your membership status to view this document.

With a Docket Alarm membership, you'll get a whole lot more, including:

  • Up-to-date information for this case.
  • Email alerts whenever there is an update.
  • Full text search for other cases.
  • Get email alerts whenever a new case matches your search.

Become a Member

One Moment Please

The filing “” is large (MB) and is being downloaded.

Please refresh this page in a few minutes to see if the filing has been downloaded. The filing will also be emailed to you when the download completes.

Your document is on its way!

If you do not receive the document in five minutes, contact support at support@docketalarm.com.

Sealed Document

We are unable to display this document, it may be under a court ordered seal.

If you have proper credentials to access the file, you may proceed directly to the court's system using your government issued username and password.


Access Government Site

We are redirecting you
to a mobile optimized page.





Document Unreadable or Corrupt

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket

We are unable to display this document.

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket