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Message
Subject
naming a new mag
Name
Tabitha
E-mail
tabithadmoore@bham.rr.com
Date & Time
6/25/2004 4:03:48 PM
I am in the process of launching a regional women's publication in Alabama. When it comes to choosing a name for my publication, how to I go about checking for copyright or trademark conflicts. I don't want to choose a name that someone else has legal rights to.

Reply to this
Message
Subject
re: naming a new mag
Name
Tom Person
E-mail
editor@laughingbear.com
Date & Time
6/25/2004 5:23:12 PM
You should start with an internet search for the name using Google or another major search engine. You can search for trademarks on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office web site at www.uspto.gov. If you can't find any matches between those, you are going to be pretty safe. If your magazine title has the name of your county, region, or state, check their official web sites for "assumes names" or DBA's ("doing business as"). Where I am, in Texas, you have to file an assumed name form in order to do business in the state (including opening a checking account or obtaining a tax permit). If none of those turns up a match, and you are still concerned, having a lawyer conduct a trademark search is the most your can do. Copyrights do not apply to names of publications.