NAMED AND SHAMED

The UK Patent Office, concerned by certain cases where the loser in inter partes trade mark opposition cases has failed to pay his share of the winner’s costs, has published a list of defaulting losing parties in an attempt to encourage them to pay up without the need for further legal action. The Registrar doesn’t actually have the power to enforce the cost orders but can impose security for costs on parties engaged in proceedings if he believes that they will not honour any costs orders made against them. A survey to investigate the extent of the unpaid costs problem has also been launched.