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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>73469</law_id><section_number>59.1-92.2</section_number><catch_line>Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="59.1">Trade and Commerce</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="6.1">Registration and Protection of Trademarks and Service Marks</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this chapter, the following words shall have the following meanings:
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Abandoned</span>&#x201D; means either (i) the discontinuance of <span class="dictionary">use</span> of a mark with <span class="dictionary">intent</span> not to resume such <span class="dictionary">use</span> (<span class="dictionary">intent</span> not to resume may be inferred from circumstances, i.e., nonuse for three consecutive years shall constitute prima facie <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of abandonment) or (ii) any course of conduct of the owner, including acts of omission as well as <span class="dictionary">commission</span>, which causes the mark to lose its significance as a mark.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Applicant</span>&#x201D; means any person filing an application for registration of a mark under this chapter, and the legal representatives, successors, or assigns of such person.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Commission</span>&#x201D; means the State Corporation <span class="dictionary">Commission</span>.
		&#x201C;Mark&#x201D; means any <span class="dictionary">trademark</span> or <span class="dictionary">service mark</span> registered in the Commonwealth or the United States Patent and <span class="dictionary">Trademark</span> Office, or entitled to registration under this chapter, whether registered or not.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Registrant</span>&#x201D; means any person to whom the registration of a mark under this chapter or prior <span class="dictionary">law</span> is issued, and the legal representatives, successors, or assigns of such person.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Service mark</span>&#x201D; means any word, name, symbol, or device or any combination thereof used by a person to identify and distinguish the services of such person from the services of others.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Trade name</span>&#x201D; means any name used by a person to identify a business or enterprise.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Trademark</span>&#x201D; means any word, name, symbol, or device or any combination thereof used by a person to identify and distinguish the goods of such person from those manufactured or sold by others.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Use</span>&#x201D; means the bona fide <span class="dictionary">use</span> of a mark in the ordinary course of trade, and not made merely to reserve a right in a mark. For the purposes of this chapter, a mark shall be deemed to be in <span class="dictionary">use</span> (i) on goods when it is placed in any manner on the goods or their containers or the displays associated therewith or on the tags or labels affixed thereto, or if the nature of the goods makes such placement impracticable, then on documents associated with the goods or their sale, and the goods are possessed in the Commonwealth or sold or otherwise distributed in commerce in the Commonwealth, and (ii) in connection with services when it is used or displayed in the course of selling or providing services in the Commonwealth, or advertising descriptive of services available within the Commonwealth that is communicated within or into the Commonwealth.</p></section></text><history>1998, c. 819; 2008, cc. 759, 800; 2011, c. 801.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
