Helen Fielding, the author of Bridget Jones’ Diary and Bridget Jones, The Edge of Reason, has won control of the domain name bridgetjones.com on the grounds that she owned registered trade marks in “Bridget Jones” and the individual who registered the name did so and used it in bad faith.

In a case before a panellist of the Arbitration and Mediation Centre of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), Fielding won the name from Anthony Corbett of Florida. Fielding had UK registered trade marks in the name covering, among other things, pharmaceutical preparations, sound recordings, video recordings, artists’ materials, furniture, clothing and various foods.

Corbett had written in an exchange of e-mails with the author:

“My colleagues and I have spent considerable time and expense formulating our plans for a web-based fan site, and we are excited about the possibilities such a site offers, especially in view of the upcoming film. I would consider an offer in the region of $15,000 to be appropriate compensation.”

Fielding then took the case before the WIPO panellist who found that the name had been registered and used in bad faith and therefore ordered that it be transferred.

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