Alterations to our services – tribunals and hearings
Tribunals
When contacting us for Tribunals services, please use the paperformcontingency@ipo.gov.uk email address to file all forms for which there is no online process. Please use the tribunalsection@ipo.gov.uk email address to file all evidence.
Where we have discretion to do so, any new deadlines set will be doubled, such as periods for filing evidence or submissions.
Extensions of time to appeal trade mark decisions are possible. We can consider appeals to the Appointed Person and appeals to the Court must be made directly to the Court.
Customers are encouraged to comply with existing deadlines to file notices of opposition (TM7) or threatened opposition (TM7A), where they can.
If this is not possible, customers may wish to utilise the interrupted days provisions to file these forms after the due date (but no later than the first day which is not interrupted). Our IT system can accept TM7As. However the filing of a TM7A merely serves to extend the period for filing an opposition to 3 months from the publication date of the mark you are considering opposing.
This means that in some cases, and despite filing the TM7A, the TM7 will also be due on the first day that is not interrupted.
If you are currently involved in proceedings before the Tribunal and need to file a TM33, TM33P or a TM21a, you should do so via email to tribunalsection@ipo.gov.uk until further notice. If you have filed any of these forms since 24 March 2020, please note that it may not have been actioned. As such, you should re-file it to the Tribunal email address.
Company Names Tribunal
When contacting us for the Company Names Tribunal’s services, please use the paperformcontingency@ipo.gov.uk email address to file all forms. There is no online process. Please use the cna@ipo.gov.uk email address to file all correspondence and all evidence. This will ensure that we have an electronic record of your filing and that it will be processed as soon as possible.
Please note that the tribunal is located at the Intellectual Property Office, and its sites are currently closed. The tribunal is unable, at present, to send (serve) new applications made to the tribunal to primary respondents or co-respondents. Forms will be processed when tribunal staff are able to access normal office processes.
We are able to accept electronic signatures on forms and other documents. Any new deadlines set will be extended; for example, to file a defence, to file evidence, to change a company name and to appeal the decision of the adjudicators. The setting of deadlines will be kept under review during the coming weeks.
Hearings service
All of our sites are currently closed, so we are not able to hold hearings in person.
We will continue to operate hearings via telephone, Skype or other virtual methods. No further physical hearings will be booked or take place until 1 June 2020. This date will be kept under review.
We have contacted parties if their current hearing arrangements need to change. Some hearings, such as cross-examination, may not be suitable for telephone, Skype or other virtual methods and may need to be postponed.
We will continue to update this page with any changes to services, as well as providing more details as they develop.
Read the original advice at Foreign Travel Advice (UK)