uBid wins appeal in cybersquatting fight against GoDaddy

UBid, an Illinois based on-line auction company, won a reversal of an earlier ruling, allowing them to proceed with their cybersquatting complaint against the domain name giant, GoDaddy.

The initial complaint was dismissed in 2009, “for lack of personal jurisdiction,” finding Arizona-based GoDaddy “lacked sufficient contacts in Illinois to be sued there.”

The appellate court reversed, which, according to uBid’s attorney, Craig Mielke, “ has the effect of allowing us to pursue our claim here in Illinois.” The initial dismissal by the trial court, said Mielke, “would have forced us to pursue GoDaddy in their ‘home court’ of Arizona.”

Mielke, partner in the Chicago-based firm of Foote, Meyers, Mielke & Flowers, greeted the decision as a major step in the emerging area of online legal responsibility.

"The courts are slowly but surely catching up with technology by applying traditional notions of fair play to sophisticated and often unscrupulous internet based businesses. Today's decision will allow local companies to litigate in their home court regardless of the location of the internet based defendant."

Craig Mielke can be reached for comment on this decision and the underlying complaint at 312-214-1017 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 312-214-1017 end_of_the_skype_highlighting, or 630-232-6333 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 630-232-6333 end_of_the_skype_highlighting, and at csm@foote-meyers.com