Trademark opposition proceedings happen when one party seeks to prevent another party from registering a trademark. At the end of a trademark registration process, there is a 30-day opposition window where a person or a business can file a Notice of Opposition against your trademark. In the event you receive a notice, you must respond or else your application will be canceled. When the case makes it to court, if the opposer wins their case, the applicant’s trademark will not be registered. If the applicant prevails, their trademark will likely gain federal registration.
During these proceedings, there are a number of documents that are filed during each step of the process with the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB), which are then reviewed by a board of trademark judges. The judges read the submissions from both parties before their decision is made. These proceedings usually resolve one way or another before going to a trial.