FAQ: suspend a .global domain through URS

When can I suspend a .global domain through URS?

You may bring a URS complaint against a .global domain when you hold trademark rights in a name or mark that the disputed domain wholly incorporates or is confusingly similar to, the registrant lacks any legitimate interest in the name, and the domain was registered and is being used in bad faith. Those three elements mirror the UDRP structure, but the URS imposes a clear and convincing evidentiary standard rather than the UDRP's balance-of-probabilities approach. That higher bar means the abuse must be obvious on the record. Marginal or nuanced fact patterns are generally better suited to a full UDRP complaint, where a panel has more room to weigh competing evidence. In practice, URS works best where the domain is a near-identical copy of a well-known mark and the registrant's bad faith is plain from the use – parking pages with pay-per-click links keyed to your brand, phishing content, or a site selling competing goods under your name.

Who decides a .global URS complaint – WIPO or a court?

A URS complaint for a .global domain is decided by an examiner appointed through an ICANN-accredited URS provider – not by a national court. WIPO operates as a URS provider for new gTLDs and is one of the forums available for .global disputes; other accredited providers may also accept filings depending on current ICANN authorization. The examiner is not a judge; the proceeding is entirely administrative and is conducted in writing. No in-person hearing takes place. The registrant and the complainant each submit documents, and the examiner applies the URS rules to determine whether the elements are clearly satisfied. Court proceedings are a separate route entirely – available where monetary damages are sought or where the URS and UDRP remedies are insufficient – and court jurisdiction depends on the registrant's location and the governing law of the relevant territory. For a .global domain where the abuse is clear, the URS administrative route is almost always the faster and less costly starting point.

If you are weighing whether a URS complaint or a full UDRP proceeding is the right first step for your .global domain, contact info@cognomenlaw.com for an assessment of the elements and the evidence.

What is the difference between URS suspension and a UDRP transfer?

The URS suspends the domain for the balance of its current registration term. The domain is taken offline and locked, but it is not transferred to you. When the registration period expires, the name returns to the available pool unless you register it yourself or take further action. A UDRP complaint, by contrast, can result in a transfer of the domain to the complainant, delivering lasting ownership. That distinction is central to choosing the right procedure. If you need the domain as a commercial asset – not merely neutralized – a UDRP complaint at WIPO (filing fee USD 1,500 for a single-member panel covering up to five domains) is the appropriate route. URS is suited to situations where the priority is speed and the suppression of harm: a phishing site, a brand-impersonation page, or a typosquat generating confusion, where the commercial value of owning the specific domain is secondary to stopping the abuse. The two remedies are not mutually exclusive in all scenarios; some brand owners file URS to halt immediate harm while pursuing UDRP for the transfer. We regularly advise on which sequencing makes sense given the facts.

What evidence decides the outcome of a .global URS case?

Because the standard is clear and convincing, the evidence must leave little room for doubt. For the trademark element, a registered mark is the most straightforward evidence; common-law rights can be relied upon but require more supporting documentation to meet the higher bar. For bad faith, the examiner looks at the content of the domain at the time of filing – screenshots of the landing page, WHOIS records showing the registration date relative to your mark's first use, any communications from the registrant demanding payment, and evidence of a pattern of similar registrations. Passive holding – a domain that simply resolves to a blank or parked page with no active content – can support a bad-faith finding where the mark is distinctive enough that no plausible legitimate use exists. We have seen cases where a registrant's failure to offer any explanation for the registration, combined with a domain that precisely copies a well-known brand name, was sufficient to meet the clear-and-convincing threshold. Thin evidence or a domain that incorporates a common word alongside your mark invites the examiner to deny the complaint.

What if the registrant does not respond?

If the registrant files no response within the prescribed deadline, the examiner proceeds on the record submitted by the complainant. A default is not an automatic win. The examiner must still find that the complaint satisfies the URS elements on the evidence presented. However, a well-documented complaint against a clearly abusive registration is very likely to succeed on default, because the registrant has offered no countervailing evidence or legitimate-interest argument. In practice, defaults are common in URS proceedings involving parking pages, phishing domains, and typosquats of famous marks. The absence of a response removes the risk of a legitimate-use defense, but it does not eliminate the need for the complainant to place a complete evidentiary record before the examiner from the outset. Filing a sparse complaint and assuming the default will carry it is a tactical mistake we regularly see in matters that arrive at our desk after an initial failure.

If a prior URS filing was denied or produced an unexpected outcome, email info@cognomenlaw.com. A focused review of the record can identify the evidentiary gap.

Can a URS decision be appealed or challenged?

Yes. A URS decision may be appealed by either party. The appeal must be filed within a short window after the examiner's determination – the URS rules set out the specific deadline and the applicable fee, which vary by provider. An appeal goes to a different examiner or panel and is conducted on the existing record; new evidence is generally not admitted at the appeal stage. If the appeal upholds a suspension, the domain remains suspended. If the appeal overturns a suspension, the domain is restored to the registrant. There is also a separate track: a registrant who believes the URS was brought abusively may seek a finding analogous to Reverse Domain Name Hijacking under the UDRP, though the URS rules address this situation in their own terms. Beyond the administrative appeal, either party may litigate the underlying dispute in a court of competent jurisdiction – a route that can override the URS outcome but involves substantially greater cost and time. In cases involving a registrant based in a jurisdiction where enforcement is practical, the court route may also open the door to monetary remedies not available under the URS.

Who can file a .global domain suspend a .global domain through URS complaint?

Any trademark owner with rights in a name that the disputed .global domain incorporates can file a URS complaint, regardless of where the complainant is located. The URS is a contractual mechanism binding on the registrant through the registry and registrar agreement; it is not limited to US-based mark owners or marks registered in any particular jurisdiction. You do not need to be the holder of a registered trademark – common-law or unregistered rights can be asserted – but the evidentiary burden to establish those rights at the clear-and-convincing standard is meaningfully higher than it would be with a national or international registration in hand. Domain investors and registrants defending against a URS complaint also have standing to respond and to appeal; the URS is not exclusively a complainant's tool. We act on both sides of URS proceedings and advise registrants who have received complaints that appear to be brought in bad faith or without a colorable trademark claim.

What is the realistic next step if I want to proceed?

The first step is to confirm that the .global domain meets all three URS elements and that the evidentiary record supports the clear-and-convincing standard. That assessment covers the trademark evidence (registered versus common-law; jurisdiction; date of first use), the specific content or use of the domain, and any registration history that bears on intent. If the elements are met, the next step is to identify the appropriate URS provider – WIPO for most .global disputes – and prepare the complaint with a complete exhibit set. If the evidence is strong but the URS threshold is uncertain, or if you want ownership of the domain rather than a temporary suspension, a UDRP complaint is the preferred instrument. Where the registrant is also operating analogous abusive domains under other zones, a multi-forum strategy covering both URS for the new gTLD and UDRP for any .com or .net variants may be appropriate. We assess the three URS elements, assemble the evidentiary record, select the provider, and file the complaint. Timeline from instruction to filing typically runs a matter of days to two weeks depending on the complexity of the trademark and use evidence.