We thought you might want to know that the USPTO and petitioners used expungement and reexamination proceedings to clear over 25,000 unused goods and services from the trademark register.   

Benefits of clearing unused goods and services 

When trademark registrations include goods and services that weren’t used when required, they can block other trademarks from registering. It’s frustrating when the significant work and effort of developing a trademark is blocked. Expungement and reexamination proceedings are a streamlined way to challenge a registration due to nonuse and can help resolve a roadblock, like a likelihood of confusion refusal. 

How to petition 

Anyone can challenge a registration for nonuse through these proceedings. To request an expungement or reexamination proceeding, you must file a petition, collect robust evidence supporting nonuse, and pay a petition fee. 

Once the petition is submitted, if it’s complete and the USPTO determines that evidence establishes nonuse, a proceeding will be instituted. You don’t participate further. The USPTO continues with the proceeding. 

Information about proceedings is publicly available in the Trademark Decisions and Proceedings system.