·12 min read
TESS Is Gone: How to Search Trademarks in 2026
The TESS trademark search system was retired in 2023. Every current option for searching trademarks in 2026, from the USPTO replacement to global databases to APIs.
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#USPTO
United States Patent and Trademark Office
Drew Mercer
·20 min read
How to Respond to a Trademark Office Action: A Guide for Every Refusal Type
How to respond to USPTO trademark office actions — covering Section 2(d), 2(e)(1), specimen failures, and identification issues with deadlines.
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·23 min read
The DuPont Factors: How Courts Decide Likelihood of Confusion
Guide to the 13 DuPont factors courts use to assess trademark likelihood of confusion, with real case examples and examiner weighting patterns.
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·12 min read
The Practitioner's Guide to Global Trademark Filing in 2026
A data-backed guide to multi-jurisdiction trademark filing — with real fee tables, Madrid vs. direct filing analysis, a worked five-country cost example, and the Nice Classification 13th Edition changes you need to plan around.
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·18 min read
TTAB Proceedings: The Complete Guide to Oppositions, Cancellations, and Appeals
Complete guide to TTAB proceedings — opposition and cancellation timelines, costs, success rates, settlement strategies, and trial procedures.
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·21 min read
Proving Acquired Distinctiveness: How to Build and Document Secondary Meaning
How to prove acquired distinctiveness for trademarks — the six types of evidence, Section 2(f) claims, the five-year shortcut, and real case studies.
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