trademarked name?

if i wanted a site geared toward a persons name. how do i know if that name is trademarked?

example
johndoeSucks.com

 

You can go to the US Patent and Trademark Office Website and do a search there for the name. It will tell you if the name/phrase you search for has a trademark or patent, who owns the patents, and what the patents/trademarks declare the name/logo/etc is registered for.

 

thank you!

 

Go and do a search on patent and trademark websites not only the US one.

 

Make sure you do your due diligence--use variations of the name too.

Good luck!

 

You can run SomeCompanySucks.com even if SomeCompany is trademarked. You just can't profit from the site.

 

That's not true. Got in trouble a few years ago, almost ended up paying $25,000 for infringement just for having two domains.

 

example.

something like microsoftsupport.com would be grounds for trouble?

 

Of course it would - that is not even close.

 

Yes, it is true. This has been very well established.

It depends on the content of the site.

 

well, i guess this answers my next question.

Nissan vs. Nissan
Nissan Motor Sued Nissan Computer For Trademark Infringement,
Trademark Dilution And Cyber-Squatting
Seeking 10 Million Dollars In Damages

http://www.digest.com/Big_Story.php