throbber
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Electronic Filing System. https://estta.uspto.gov
`ESTTA1207540
`05/06/2022
`
`ESTTA Tracking number:
`
`Filing date:
`
`Proceeding no.
`
`Party
`
`Correspondence
`address
`
`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`BEFORE THE TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`92078240
`
`Defendant
`Dreams to Reality Foundation
`
`MOLLY BUCK RICHARD
`RICHARD LAW GROUP
`13355 NOEL RD STE 1350
`DALLAS, TX 75240
`UNITED STATES
`Primary email: molly@richardlawgroup.com
`Secondary email(s): docket@richardlawgroup.com
`214-206-4300
`
`Submission
`
`Motion for Summary Judgment
`
`Filer's name
`
`Filer's email
`
`Signature
`
`Date
`
`Attachments
`
`Yes, the Filer previously made its initial disclosures pursuant to Trademark Rule
`2.120(a); OR the motion for summary judgment is based on claim or issue pre-
`clusion, or lack of jurisdiction.
`
`The deadline for pretrial disclosures for the first testimony period as originally set
`or reset: 08/06/2022
`Molly Buck Richard
`
`molly@richardlawgroup.com, docket@richardlawgroup.com
`
`/Molly Buck Richard/
`
`05/06/2022
`
`Motion for Summary Judgment.pdf(192509 bytes )
`Memorandum In Support of Motion for Summary Judgment.pdf(198407 bytes )
`Declaration of Carmelita Burns.pdf(371943 bytes )
`Declaration of Christopher Matthew Spencer.pdf(2459977 bytes )
`Declaration of Molly Buck Richard.pdf(1304004 bytes )
`
`

`

`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`BEFORE THE TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Dreams to Reality
`
`
`
`
`Petitioner
`
`
`
`v.
`Dreams to Reality Foundation
`
`
` Registrant
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`)
`)
`)
`)
`) Cancellation No. 92078240
` )
` )
` )
`
`REGISTRANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT
`
`Registrant, Dreams to Reality Foundation (“Registrant”), hereby moves the Trademark
`
`Trial and Appeal Board (the “Board”) pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56(a) for
`
`summary judgment in this proceeding. A Memorandum in Support of Petitioner’s Motion for
`
`Summary Judgment, the Declaration of Christopher Matthew Spencer (“Spencer Decl.”), the
`
`Declaration of Carmelita Burns (“Burns Decl.”), and the Declaration of Molly Buck Richard
`
`(“Richard Decl.”) are being filed concurrently herewith, along with any respective exhibits. In
`
`addition, pursuant to T.B.M.P. § 528.03 and 37 C.F.R. § 2.127(d), Registrant requests that the
`
`Board suspend all deadlines pending a decision on this motion.
`
`This motion is based on the lack of any genuine issues of material fact regarding
`
`Registrant’s prior use of the DREAMS TO REALITY FOUNDATION mark (“Registrant’s
`
`Mark”) and likelihood of confusion between Registrant’s Mark and Dreams to Reality
`
`(“Petitioner”) DREAMS TO REALITY (“Petitioner’s Mark”). With regard to priority of use,
`
`Registrant has continuously used Registrant’s Mark since at least as early as May of 1993. On the
`
`other hand, Petitioner only started to use Petitioner’s Mark in 2000. As such, Registrant is the
`
`senior and prior user of the DREAMS TO REALITY FOUNDATION mark. Petitioner also
`
`REGISTRANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT – Page 1
`
`

`

`asserts a likelihood of confusion with Registrant’s Mark, however, Petitioner has acknowledged
`
`that there is no likelihood of confusion.
`
`Accordingly, Registrant respectfully submits that a grant of summary judgment on the basis
`
`of its clear priority of use and lack of likelihood of confusion in this proceeding is appropriate, and
`
`requests that the Board enter such judgment in favor of Registrant and deny the Petition for
`
`Cancellation of Registrant’s Mark. Petitioner also requests that the Board suspend all deadlines
`
`pending the Board’s decision on this motion.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`RICHARD LAW GROUP, INC.
`
`
`
`
`
`/Molly Buck Richard/
`Molly Buck Richard
`13355 Noel Road, Suite 1350
`Dallas, Texas 75240
`214-206-4300 (Phone)
`214-206-4330 (Fax)
`molly@richardlawgroup.com
`
`Attorneys for Registrant Dreams to
`Reality Foundation
`
`CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
`
`
`
`I hereby certify that on May 6, 2022, the foregoing document was served upon Petitioner
`
` through its counsel of record, Annette Heller, via email to tmattorneyheller@aol.com.
`
`___/Molly Buck Richard/________
`
`
`
`REGISTRANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT – Page 2
`
`

`

`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`BEFORE THE TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Dreams to Reality
`
`
`
`
`Petitioner
`
`
`
`v.
`Dreams to Reality Foundation
`
`
` Registrant
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`)
`)
`)
`)
`) Cancellation No. 92078240
` )
` )
` )
`
`MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF REGISTRANT’S MOTION
`FOR SUMMARY JUDGEMENT
`
`
`
`I.
`
`INTRODUCTION
`
`Petitioner Dreams to Reality (“Petitioner”), brought this proceeding to cancel Registrant
`
`Dreams to Reality Foundation (“Registrant”) DREAMS TO REALITY FOUNDATION
`
`(“Registrant’s Mark”) based on Petitioner’s alleged prior common law rights in the DREAMS TO
`
`REALITY mark (“Petitioner’s Mark”). In the Petition for Cancellation, Petitioner asserted that it
`
`used Petitioner’s Mark since at least as early as 2000, “long before the filing date of Registrant’s
`
`Application” (TTABVUE 1, para. 4) and that “Registrant’s Mark, when used in connection with
`
`its services, so resembles Petitioner’s Mark as to be likely to cause confusion, to cause mistake, or
`
`to deceive as to the affiliation, connection, or association of Registrant with Petitioner, or as to the
`
`origin, sponsorship, or approval of Registrant’s services by Petitioner.” (TTABVUE 1, para. 10).
`
`There are no genuine issues of material fact as to priority or likelihood of confusion. As
`
`discussed in detail below, Registrant began using Registrant’s Mark in May of 1993, some seven
`
`(7) years prior to any date relied upon by Petitioner for the use of Petitioner’s Mark. Thus, there
`
`is no issue as to priority.
`
`MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF REGISTRANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT - Page 1
`
`
`

`

`It is also undisputed that Petitioner cannot establish a likelihood of confusion and in fact,
`
`has admitted that there is not likelihood of confusion. Accordingly, a grant of summary judgment
`
`for Registrant is appropriate in this instance and Registrant respectfully requests that the Board
`
`dismiss the Petition to Cancel. In addition, pursuant to T.B.M.P. § 528.03 and 37 C.F.R. §
`
`2.127(d), Registrant requests that the Board suspend all deadlines pending a decision on this
`
`motion. Registrant’s motion is also supported by the Declaration of Christopher Matthew Spencer
`
`(“Spencer Decl.”) and the Declaration of Carmelita Burns (“Burns Decl.”). The Spencer Decl. and
`
`Burns Decl. are filed concurrently with this memorandum.
`
`II.
`
`UNDISPUTED FACTS
`
`1.
`
`Registrant is the owner of Reg. No. 5067798 for the mark DREAMS TO REALITY
`
`FOUNDATION which was filed on March 16, 2016 and issued on October 25, 2016 (“Registrant’s
`
`Registration”) for the following services: “Charitable foundation services, namely, providing
`
`financial support to people in need, who may include, but are not limited to, the homeless, families,
`
`the vulnerable, victims of circumstance, victims of crimes, veterans, youth, and others, for general
`
`relief, food, shelter, scholarships, education, and other financial, and volunteer assistance” in
`
`International Class 36. (“Registrant’s Services”). Petitioner claims to be the owner of the mark
`
`DREAMS TO REALITY (“Petitioner’s Mark”) in connection with the following services:
`
`“Charitable services for providing clothing to woman in transition and operating a resale shop to
`
`support its charitable work” for which it claims use since 2000. TTABVUE 1, para. 4.
`
`2.
`
`Petitioner bases its Petition to Cancel on its alleged prior use of Petitioner’s Mark
`
`since 2000 which predates the filing date of Registrant’s Registration on March 16, 2016.
`
`TTABVUE 1, para. 9. Additionally, Petitioner claims that there is a likelihood of confusion
`
`between Registrant’s Mark and Petitioner’s Mark. TTABVUE 1, para. 10.
`
`MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF REGISTRANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT - Page 2
`
`
`

`

`3.
`
`Petitioner acknowledges that its date of first use for DREAMS TO REALITY is
`
`not prior to the year 2000. Richard Decl. ¶ 4.
`
`4.
`
`Registrant was formed as DREAMS TO REALITY FOUNDATION in 1993, filing
`
`the articles of incorporation with the California Secretary of State’s office in August of 1993.
`
`Spencer Decl. ¶ 3 and Exhibit A thereto.
`
`5.
`
`Registrant has continuously used the DREAMS TO REALITY FOUNDATION
`
`trademark from 1993 to the present. Spencer Decl. ¶ 15.
`
`6.
`
`On June 4, 1999, DREAMS TO REALITY FOUNDATION began actively selling
`
`on eBay, a global ecommerce marketplace that reaches 195 countries. Dreams to Reality
`
`Foundation’s eBay stores receive hundreds of millions of global impressions each year. Dreams
`
`to Reality Foundation continues to operate ten eBay Stores to this day. Spencer Decl. ¶ 8.
`
`7.
`
`In 1995, Kaiser Permanente selected Dreams to Reality Foundation as a preferred
`
`nonprofit partner and developed an internationally publicized educational theater program for
`
`schools entitled Secrets and Letters. The program consisted of actors who portrayed lifestyle
`
`situations and scenes with life lessons; with a focus on HIV/AIDS awareness. The project involved
`
`asking children all over the world to submit letters talking about their personal experiences
`
`surrounding the HIV/AIDS epidemic at that time. These letters were then read by famous actors
`
`including Academy Award-winner Shirley Jones, Tatyana Ali, Michelle Stafford, Kathy Najimy
`
`and other notable stars. According to Kaiser Permanente, the educational theater program served
`
`at least 8.6 million individuals. Spencer Decl. ¶ 7.
`
`8.
`
`Since 1993, Carmelita Burns has consigned merchandise to Dreams to Reality
`
`Foundation for resale and restored and repaired goods sent to her from Dreams to Reality
`
`Foundation for resale. Additionally, beginning in 1999 and continuing to the present, Ms. Burns
`
`MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF REGISTRANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT - Page 3
`
`
`

`

`has consigned merchandise to Dreams to Reality Foundation for resale on eBay and restored and
`
`repaired goods sent to her from Dreams to Reality Foundation for resale on eBay. See Burns Decl.
`
`9.
`
`Dreams to Reality Foundation’s activities have been mentioned on national news
`
`media, including on the television show Geraldo. See Burns Decl. and Spencer Decl. ¶ 6.
`
`10.
`
`Registrant filed this motion for summary judgment before the August 6, 2022
`
`deadline for pretrial disclosures for the first testimony period. TTABVUE 2.
`
`11.
`
`Petitioner has admitted that if Registrant used the mark DREAMS TO REALITY
`
`FOUNDATION prior to the first use of any DREAMS TO REALITY mark of Petitioner,
`
`Petitioner will not be able to establish priority of use. Richard Decl. ¶ 5.
`
`12.
`
`Petitioner has admitted that there is no likelihood of confusion between Registrant’s
`
`mark DREAMS TO REALITY FOUNDATION for Registrant’s services and Petitioner’s
`
`DREAMS TO REALITY mark for Petitioner’s services. Richard Decl. ¶ 6.
`
`13.
`
`Petitioner has admitted that Petitioner does not claim that there is a likelihood of
`
`confusion between Registrant’s mark DREAMS TO REALITY FOUNDATION and Petitioner’s
`
`mark DREAMS TO REALITY. Richard Decl. ¶ 6.
`
`14.
`
`Petitioner has admitted that there is no likelihood of confusion between the marks
`
`DREAMS TO REALITY FOUNDATION and DREAMS TO REALITY. Richard Decl. ¶ 6.
`
`III. THE STANDARD FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT
`AND BURDEN OF PROOF
`
`Summary judgment should be granted, where, as here, it is shown that there is no genuine
`
`issue of material fact, and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Federal Rule
`
`of Civil Procedure (“FRCP”) 56(c). These general principles of summary judgment apply under
`
`FRCP 56 to proceedings before the Board. See, e.g., Sweats Fashions, Inc. v. Pannill Knitting Co.,
`
`833 F.2d 1560, 4 U.S.P.Q.2d 1793, 1797 (Fed. Cir. 1987). Thus, summary judgment is an
`
`MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF REGISTRANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT - Page 4
`
`
`

`

`appropriate method of disposing of an opposition or cancellation proceeding in which there is no
`
`genuine issue of material fact on the question of likelihood of confusion. Kellogg Co. v. Pack’Em
`
`Enters, Inc., 14 U.S.P.Q.2d 1545 (T.T.A.B. 1990). As the Federal Circuit stated in Pure Gold, Inc.
`
`v. Syntex (U.S.A.), Inc., 739 F.2d 624, 222 U.S.P.Q. 741, 743 (Fed. Cir. 1984): The basic purpose
`
`of summary judgment procedure is one of judicial economy – to save the time and expense of a
`
`full trial when it is unnecessary because the essential facts necessary to decision of the issue can
`
`be adequately developed by less costly procedures, as contemplated by the FRCP rules here
`
`involved, with a net benefit to society. (Citation omitted). Likewise, summary judgment in an
`
`opposition or cancellation proceeding is designed to save the time and expense of a full opposition
`
`or cancellation proceeding where there is no genuine issue as to any material fact. Bet Lock Corp.
`
`v. Schlage Lock Co., 413 F.2d 1195, 162 U.S.P.Q. 552 (C.C.P.A. 1969). Registrant, as the moving
`
`party, has the burden of demonstrating that they are entitled to summary judgment. Celotex Corp.
`
`v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 324-25 (1986). By meeting their burden of identifying undisputed facts,
`
`Registrant is entitled to relief. Petitioner cannot respond merely by pointing to allegations or
`
`denials in the pleadings. Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 586
`
`(1986). Instead, Petitioner must submit specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial.
`
`Id. at 587. In doing so, Petitioner must present evidence from which a reasonable trier of fact might
`
`return a verdict in its favor. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 249-50 (1986). As there
`
`are no genuine issues of material fact, summary judgment in favor of Registrant is appropriate.
`
`ARGUMENT
`
`THERE IS NO GENUINE ISSUE OF MATERIAL
`FACT THAT REGISTRANT HAS PRIORITY OF USE
`
`
`
`Petitioner claims that because it first used its mark in 2000, six years prior to the registration
`
`date of the mark DREAMS FOR REALITY FOUNDATION, that it has priority of use. However,
`
`MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF REGISTRANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT - Page 5
`
`
`

`

`the undisputed summary judgment evidence establishes conclusively that Registrant has
`
`continuously used its mark since 1993, well before Petitioner’s claimed date of first use within
`
`each of the states in the United States and indeed globally. See Spencer Decl. and Burns Decl.
`
`As noted in the Richard Decl., Registrant served its Second Set of Requests for Admission
`
`on March 28, 2022 and Petitioner failed to respond to the discovery requests. As a result, the
`
`Requests for Admission are deemed admitted. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 36 (a)(3). Fed. R. Civ. P.
`
`36(a)(3) provides that requests for admissions are deemed admitted unless written answers or
`
`objections thereto are received by the requesting party within thirty days of service of the requests.
`
`In this case, Petitioner did not make any attempt to submit either its answers or objections to
`
`Registrant.
`
`The effect of these admissions is that Petitioner has admitted (1) “if Registrant used the
`
`mark DREAMS TO REALITY FOUNDATION prior to the first use of any DREAMS TO
`
`REALITY mark of Petitioner, Petitioner will not be able to establish priority of use.” Richard Decl.
`
`¶ 6; (2) “there is no likelihood of confusion between Registrant’s mark DREAMS TO REALITY
`
`FOUNDATION for Registrant’s services and Petitioner’s DREAMS TO REALITY mark for
`
`Petitioner’s services.” Richard Decl. ¶ 6; (3); “Petitioner does not claim that there is a likelihood
`
`of confusion between Registrant’s mark DREAMS TO REALITY FOUNDATION and
`
`Petitioner’s mark DREAMS TO REALITY.” Richard Decl. ¶ 6; and (4) “there is no likelihood of
`
`confusion between the marks DREAMS TO REALITY FOUNDATION and DREAMS TO
`
`REALITY.” Richard Decl. ¶ 6.
`
`Thus, Petitioner has admitted that if Registrant used its mark prior to Petitioner’s first use
`
`of its mark, Petitioner will not be able to establish priority, there is no likelihood of confusion
`
`between Registrant’s mark for its services and Petitioner’s mark for its services, Petitioner does
`
`MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF REGISTRANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT - Page 6
`
`
`

`

`not claim that there is a likelihood of confusion between the parties’ marks, and there is no
`
`likelihood of confusion between the marks DREAMS TO REALITY FOUNDATION and
`
`DREAMS TO REALITY.
`
`
`
`In serving requests for admission, a party asks its adversary to stipulate to certain matters
`
`as a means of reducing issues for trial. See TBMP § 407.02. Fed. R. Civ. P. 36(a) requires that the
`
`answering party admit or deny the matter set forth in the requests for admission or detail the
`
`reasons why the party can do neither. An admission in response to a request for admission
`
`conclusively establishes the matter that is the subject of that request. Fed. R. Civ. P. 36(b). “This
`
`conclusive effect applies to those admissions made affirmatively and those established by default,
`
`even if the matters admitted relate to material facts that defeat a party’s claim.” American
`
`Automobile Ass’n v. AAA Legal Clinic of Jefferson Crooke, P.C., 930 F.2d 1117, 19 USPQ2d 1142,
`
`1144 (5th Cir. 1991)(citing United States v. Kasuboski, 834 F.2d 1345, 1350 (7th Cir. 1987);
`
`Rainbolt v. Johnson, 669 F.2d 767, 769 (D.C.Cir. 1981); Brook Village North Assocs. v. General
`
`Electric Co., 686 F.2d 66, 70 (1st Cir. 1982)); see Fram Trak Indus. Inc. v. WireTracks LLC, 77
`
`USPQ2d 2000, 2005 (TTAB 2006)(“Respondent failed to respond to petitioner’s requests for
`
`admission and failed to file a motion to amend or withdraw those admissions. Accordingly, those
`
`requests for admission are deemed admitted and conclusively established.”).
`
`
`
`As a result of Petitioner’s failure to respond to the Second Set of Requests for Admission,
`
`they are deemed admitted under Fed. R. Civ. P. 36 (a)(3) and TBMP 407.03(a). In addition to the
`
`admissions made by Petitioner, Registrant has conclusively established its continuous use of its
`
`mark DREAMS TO REALITY FOUNDATION since 1993, well prior to Petitioner’s claimed first
`
`use of 2000. Thus, summary judgment should be granted on the issue of priority.
`
`
`
`MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF REGISTRANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT - Page 7
`
`
`

`

`THERE IS NO LIKELIHOOD OF CONFUSION
`
`
`
`In order for Petitioner to prevail in this cancellation proceeding, it must first establish
`
`priority of use and then likelihood of confusion. TBMP 309.03 (c)(2). Because Petitioner cannot
`
`establish priority of use, its likelihood of confusion claim under Section 2(d) fails. RxD Media,
`
`LLC v. IP Application Development LLC 125 USPQ2d 1801 (TTAB 2018). As noted above,
`
`Petitioner cannot establish prior use as Registrant has conclusively established its use of the mark
`
`DREAMS TO REALITY FOUNDATION as of 1993 and continuing to the present. As such,
`
`summary judgment should be issued for Registrant on likelihood of confusion.
`
`Petitioner has admitted that it does not claim there is a likelihood of confusion. In response
`
`to Interrogatory No. 15, when asked if Petitioner claimed there was a likelihood of confusion
`
`between the parties’ marks, Petitioner answered “No due to the type of services offered by
`
`Petitioner.” Richard Decl. ¶ 6. Additionally, based on the deemed admissions for Registrant’s
`
`Second Set of Requests for Admission, Petitioner has admitted the following with respect to
`
`likelihood of confusion: (1) “there is no likelihood of confusion between Registrant’s mark
`
`DREAMS TO REALITY FOUNDATION for Registrant’s services and Petitioner’s DREAMS
`
`TO REALITY mark for Petitioner’s services.” Richard Decl. ¶ 6; (2) “Petitioner does not claim
`
`that there is a likelihood of confusion between Registrant’s mark DREAMS TO REALITY
`
`FOUNDATION and Petitioner’s mark DREAMS TO REALITY.” Richard Decl. ¶ 6; and (3)
`
`“there is no likelihood of confusion between the marks DREAMS TO REALITY FOUNDATION
`
`and DREAMS TO REALITY.” Richard Decl. ¶ 6.
`
`As the Board held in Moke America LLC v. Moke USA, LLC 2020 USPQ2d 10400 (TTAB
`
`2020):
`
`“Prior use is a necessary element of any claim of likelihood of confusion under Section
`2(d) of the Trademark Act. We need not reach the merits of the likelihood of confusion
`
`MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF REGISTRANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT - Page 8
`
`
`

`

`claim because without proof of priority, Opposer cannot prevail. See Life Zone Inc. v.
`Middleman Grp., Inc., 87 USPQ2d 1953, 1960 (TTAB 2008); see also Exec. Coach
`Builders, Inc. v. SPV Coach Co., 123 USPQ2d 1175, 1199 (TTAB 2017).”
`
`WHEREFORE, Registrant respectfully requests that the Board grant summary judgment
`
`in favor of Registrant and dismiss this cancellation proceeding.
`
`
`
`By:
`
`
`
`RICHARD LAW GROUP, INC.
`
`/Molly Buck Richard/
`Molly Buck Richard
`13355 Noel Road, Suite 1350
`Dallas, Texas 75240
`Telephone: (214) 206-4300
`Facsimile: (214) 206-4330
`molly@richardlawgroup.com
`
`Counsel for Defendant Dreams to Reality
`Foundation
`
`
`
`
`CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
`
`
`I hereby certify that on May 6, 2022, a true and complete copy of Defendant’s
`
`Memorandum In Support of Motion for Summary Judgment and Declarations and Exhibits were
`served upon Annette Heller, counsel for Plaintiff via email to tmattorneyheller@aol.com.
`
`
`/Molly Buck Richard/
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF REGISTRANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT - Page 9
`
`
`

`

`
`
`
`
`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE BEFORE
`
`THE TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`
`DREAMS TO REALITY,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Plaintiff,
`
`
`
`v.
`
`
`
`
`
`DREAMS TO REALITY
`FOUNDATION,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Defendant.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`











` §
`
`
`
`Cancellation No. 92078240
`
`Reg. No. 5067798
`
`
`Mark: DREAMS TO REALITY
`
`
`FOUNDATION
`
`DECLARATION OF CARMELITA BURNS UNDER 37 C.F.R. §2.20
`
`I, Carmelita Burns make this declaration on behalf of the Defendant,
`
`Dreams to Reality Foundation, in the above referenced matter. I have personal
`
`knowledge of the facts stated in this Declaration.
`
`I am a resident of Niangua which is a city located in Webster County,
`
`Missouri. I am in the business of manufacturing jewelry; and repairing and
`
`restoring jewelry, antiques and collectibles. I have been in this occupation for
`
`the past four decades.
`
`I was
`
`introduced to Dreams to Reality Foundation’s co-founder
`
`Christopher Matthew Spencer in 1985 through a mutual business associate
`
`and Beverly Hills antique dealer, Mike Richards.
`
`Mr. Spencer co-founded Dreams to Reality Foundation in 1993 and at
`
`that time, invited me to become a vendor of the Dreams to Reality Foundation’s
`
`fundraising program in which donated items are evaluated, restored, repaired
`
`

`

`and resold on ecommerce sites including eBay. Later on those sites included
`Etsy, Facebook, Craigslist and Shopify.
`From at least 1993 to the present, I consigned merchandise to Dreams to
`Reality Foundation for resale and restored and repaired goods sent to me by
`Dreams to Reality Foundation for resale.
`As early as 1999 and continuing until
`the present,
`I consigned
`merchandise to Dreams to Reality Foundation for resale on eBay and restored
`and repaired goods sent to me by Dreams to Reality Foundation for resale on
`eBay.
`
`I became aware of Dreams to Reality Foundation’s
`As early as 1994,
`activities being mentioned on national news media including Dreams to Reality
`Foundation being featured on Geraldo, an internationally syndicated-talk show
`hosted by Geraldo Rivera
`The undersigned being hereby warned that willful false statements and
`the like so made are punishable by fine or imprisonment, or both, under 18
`U.S.C. 1001, and that such willful false statements and the like may jeopardize
`the validity of the application or document or any registration resulting
`therefrom, declares that all statements made of her own knowledge are true;
`and all statements made on information and belief are believed to be true.
`_, 2022.
`M01142; fiat/(M
`
`Dated thisii day of
`
`i
`
`CKRMELITA BURNS
`
`

`

`
`
`
`
`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE BEFORE
`
`THE TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`
`DREAMS TO REALITY,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Plaintiff,
`
`
`
`v.
`
`
`
`
`
`DREAMS TO REALITY
`FOUNDATION,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Defendant.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`











` §
`
`
`
`Cancellation No. 92078240
`
`Reg. No. 5067798
`
`
`Mark: DREAMS TO REALITY
`
`
`FOUNDATION
`
`DECLARATION OF CHRISTOPHER MATTHEW SPENCER
`UNDER 37 C.F.R. §2.20
`
`I, Christopher Matthew Spencer make this declaration on behalf of the
`
`Defendant, Dreams to Reality Foundation, in the above referenced matter. I
`
`have personal knowledge of the facts stated in this Declaration.
`
`1. I am a resident of Burbank which is a city located in Los Angeles
`
`County, California.
`
`2. In 1993, I worked in the entertainment industry as a management
`
`executive for celebrity actors and musicians. I represented Dean
`
`Butler as his management executive at that time. Dean Butler is an
`
`actor best known to audiences for his portrayal of Almanzo Wilder
`
`from 1979 to 1983 on the pioneer television drama, Little House on
`
`the Prairie. He portrayed Moondoggie in the syndicated television
`
`comedy series The New Gidget from 1986 to 1988, and Buffy's dad,
`
`Hank Summers, on Buffy the Vampire Slayer from 1997 to 2003. On
`
`Broadway Dean played Rapunzal's Prince in the original company of
`
`

`

`
`
`Into the Woods, toured internationally as Tony in West Side Story, and
`
`appeared with Carol Burnett in a production of Company.
`
`3. Mr. Butler and I share a strong interest in philanthropy, and we met
`
`for a brainstorming session in May of 1993 at which time we came up
`
`with the idea to start a nonprofit foundation to help individuals in
`
`need globally. Mr. Butler and I agreed to utilize his television and
`
`Broadway fame to attract sponsors, support, and other celebrities to
`
`help as many people as possible.
`
`4. Mr. Butler and I decided on the name for this organization and
`
`founded Dreams to Reality Foundation on May 25, 1993, filed
`
`Dreams to Reality Foundation’s articles of incorporation with the
`
`State of California on August 13, 1993 (Exhibit A), and applied for tax
`
`exemption with the Internal Revenue Service under 501(c)(3) of the
`
`Revenue Code on September 1, 1993 (Exhibit B) which the Internal
`
`Revenue Service granted in November 1993 (Exhibit C). The California
`
`Franchise Tax Board granted tax exempt status to Dreams to Reality
`
`Foundation on August 13, 1993 (Exhibit D).
`
`5. English composer Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, winner of Tony Awards,
`
`Grammy Awards, an Academy Award and a Golden Globe award;
`
`partnered with Dreams to Reality Foundation, Dean Butler and me to
`
`produce the Los Angeles performances of the worldwide hit musical
`
`production of Evita held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre on October 22-
`
`24, 1993. Michelle Pfeiffer and her husband producer David E. Kelley
`
`attended the opening night performance in an official arrangement by
`
`Hollywood Pictures so that Ms. Pfeiffer could conduct research for the
`
`

`

`
`
`role of Eva Peron in anticipation of her consideration to star in the
`
`film adaptation of Evita.
`
`6. Dreams to Reality Foundation responded to the 1994 Northridge
`
`earthquake by holding an internationally publicized fundraiser in
`
`partnership with Paramount Studios that was authorized and
`
`attended by Paramount Studios then-president Sherry Lansing. Sam
`
`Haskell of William Morris Agency served as the celebrity talent broker
`
`for the fundraiser. Mr. Haskell arranged for the personal appearances
`
`of many world-renown celebrities to participate in the internationally
`
`publicized Achey Quakey benefit with 100% of the proceeds
`
`benefitting Dreams to Reality Foundation. Mr. Haskell’s clients who
`
`participated included Helen Hunt, Tyne Daly, Meshach Taylor,
`
`Gregory Harrison, Carol Channing, Bruce Davison, Debby Boone,
`
`Stephanie Zimbalist and Stephanie Powers (Exhibit F). The Achey
`
`Quakey benefit was
`
`featured on Geraldo, an
`
`internationally
`
`syndicated talk show hosted by Geraldo Rivera which brought
`
`awareness of Dreams to Reality Foundation to all 50 states within the
`
`US as well as many countries within which Geraldo was syndicated.
`
`7. Kaiser Permanente is an integrated managed care consortium
`
`operating since July 21, 1945 across the United States employs more
`
`than 300,000 workers including more than 63,000 nurses and more
`
`than 23,000 physicians. In 1995, Kaiser Permanente selected Dreams
`
`to Reality Foundation as a preferred nonprofit partner and developed
`
`an internationally publicized educational theater program for schools
`
`entitled Secrets and Letters. The program consisted of actors who
`
`

`

`
`
`portrayed lifestyle situations and scenes with life lessons; with a
`
`focus on HIV/AIDS awareness. The project involved asking children
`
`all over the world to submit letters talking about their personal
`
`experiences surrounding the HIV/AIDS epidemic at that time. These
`
`letters were then read by famous actors including Academy Award-
`
`winner Shirley Jones, Tatyana Ali, Michelle Stafford, Kathy Najimy
`
`and other notable stars. According to Kaiser Permanente, the
`
`educational theater program served at least 8.6 million individuals.
`
`8. On June 4, 1999, Dreams to Reality Foundation began actively selling
`
`on eBay, a global ecommerce marketplace that reaches 195 countries.
`
`Dreams to Reality Foundation’s eBay stores receive hundreds of
`
`millions of global
`
`impressions each year. Dreams to Reality
`
`Foundation continues to operate ten eBay Stores to this day.
`
`9. Dreams to Reality Foundation also actively sells donated goods under
`
`its Mark on Craigslist, Etsy, Facebook and Shopify; each of which has
`
`exposure to every country with audiences in the millions (for
`
`Facebook, in the billions).
`
`10. Between 2000 and 2007, representatives of Dreams to Reality
`
`Foundation spoke at internationally promoted events for nonprofit
`
`leaders organized by The Points of Light Institute.
`
`11. As Dreams to Reality Foundation’s co-founder, I have spoken at over
`
`200 tradeshows, roadshows and keynotes in which I discussed
`
`Dreams to Reality Foundation in all 50 states.
`
`

`

`
`
`12. In 2007, Dreams to Reality Foundation was selected by eBay to be the
`
`recipient nonprofit organization in connection with their national
`
`Winnervators road show starring Andy Richter and Paul F. Tomkins.
`
`13. In 2009, seven-time Grammy nominated The Killers rock band
`
`partnered with Dreams to Reality Foundation for a globally promoted
`
`auction campaign.
`
`14. In 2010, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals partnered with Dreams
`
`to Reality Foundation on national fundraising activities. At the time,
`
`Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals operated the largest telethon in
`
`the world.
`
`15. In 2016, five-time Grammy Award-winner Janet Jackson partnered
`
`with Dreams to Reality Foundation for a globally promoted online
`
`auction campaign.
`
`16. In 2016, Kathy Ireland partnered with Dreams to Reality Foundation
`
`for a globally promoted online auction campaign in an official co-
`
`partnership with The Walt Disney Company.
`
`17. At any one time, Dreams to Reality Foundation has, on aggregate,
`
`more than 18,000 product ads running in 195 countries online in all
`
`of the ecommerce stores it operates.
`
`18. Dreams to Reality Foundation has been continuously using its Mark
`
`from 1993 to the present day.
`
`The undersigned being hereby warned that willful false statements and
`
`the like so made are punishable by fine or imprisonment, or both, under 18
`
`U.S.C. 1001, and that such willful false statements and the like may jeopardize
`
`the validity of the application or document or any registration resulting
`
`

`

`
`
`therefrom, declares that all statements made of her own knowledge are true;
`
`and all statements made on information and belief are believed to be true.
`
`Dated this 5th day of May, 2022.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`_____________________________________
`CHRISTOPHER MATTHEW SPENCER
`
`
`
`

`

`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`EXHIBIT A
`EXHIBIT A
`
`

`

`QF
`DREAMS TO REALITY FOUNDATION
`
`ONE: The name ofthis corporation is Dreams to Reality Foundation.
`
`TWO: This corporation is a nonprofit public benefit carporation and is not
`organized for the private gain of any person. It is orga

This document is available on Docket Alarm but you must sign up to view it.


Or .

Accessing this document will incur an additional charge of $.

After purchase, you can access this document again without charge.

Accept $ Charge
throbber

Still Working On It

This document is taking longer than usual to download. This can happen if we need to contact the court directly to obtain the document and their servers are running slowly.

Give it another minute or two to complete, and then try the refresh button.

throbber

A few More Minutes ... Still Working

It can take up to 5 minutes for us to download a document if the court servers are running slowly.

Thank you for your continued patience.

This document could not be displayed.

We could not find this document within its docket. Please go back to the docket page and check the link. If that does not work, go back to the docket and refresh it to pull the newest information.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

You need a Paid Account to view this document. Click here to change your account type.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

Set your membership status to view this document.

With a Docket Alarm membership, you'll get a whole lot more, including:

  • Up-to-date information for this case.
  • Email alerts whenever there is an update.
  • Full text search for other cases.
  • Get email alerts whenever a new case matches your search.

Become a Member

One Moment Please

The filing “” is large (MB) and is being downloaded.

Please refresh this page in a few minutes to see if the filing has been downloaded. The filing will also be emailed to you when the download completes.

Your document is on its way!

If you do not receive the document in five minutes, contact support at support@docketalarm.com.

Sealed Document

We are unable to display this document, it may be under a court ordered seal.

If you have proper credentials to access the file, you may proceed directly to the court's system using your government issued username and password.


Access Government Site

We are redirecting you
to a mobile optimized page.





Document Unreadable or Corrupt

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket

We are unable to display this document.

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket