222 pages of dissatisfaction: Google wants to sue the "TM-troll" for extortion

Google has sued Leo Stoller (Leo Stoller), a Chicago “trademark expert” (as he calls himself) or a “TM-troll” (as the others call him).

The lawsuit against Central Mfg., Which is owned by Leo Stoller, was filed on 222 pages and is intended to prohibit him from using the word Google. The fact is that for a long time, Stoller specifies names such as Google Brand Trademark Licensing and Google Brand Products and Services as the outgoing address of his letters. In reality, the lawsuit says, such organizations do not exist.

There was a time when Leo Stoller claimed that all rights to the word Google belong to him, since he has used this word in the name of the company since 1981. Subsequently, he changed his mind and in the spring of 2006 tried to ban Google from using its name, citing the fact that the word GOOGLE had become commonly used and, therefore, it could not be subject to copyright.
')
Stoller's love story for brands has been around for decades. Back in 1981, Stoller was somewhat late with a lawsuit against the film company Carolco Pictures; if he had time, the movie "Terminator" would have to be called differently. Known for Leo Stoller and possession of rights to “stealth”: he registered his rights to this word and sent threatening letters to various organizations and companies, including Columbia Pictures, who made the film Stealth. Then the court managed to defend the “honor and dignity” of the film, explaining to Stoller that he registered stealth only in certain classes of goods, none of which correspond to film production. The most famous brand with the word “Stealth” is a military bomber: its manufacturer, Northrop Grumman, paid $ 10 (!) To Stoller in 2001 and agreed to avoid using this word in the names of non-core products; in response, Stoller agreed not to hinder the use of the word “stealth” as applied to aircraft or military equipment.

Stoller explains his behavior in the "hacker style": if firms do not follow the issues of ownership of trademarks, then not such "honest people" as he, but the attackers will take advantage of it.

It seems that this very behavior has finally bothered Google. The last straw, according to Stoller, was his many speculations on the fees of Google lawyer Michael Zeller.

Stoller's lexicon in this case requires a little explanation. Speaking of Zeller's overstated fees and hinting at securities frauds, he calls Google lawyer Michael "Rico" Zeller. RICO is a US legislative act "On fallen under the influence of racketeers and corrupt organizations" from 1970. In one of the latest posts , commenting on the lawsuit Google, Stoller explains that the nickname Rico Michael Zeller gave not Leo himself, but the friends of Zeller. In his youth, Michael used the nickname "RICO Zeller", and many friends still call him that, according to Stoller.

Knowing the nature of "TM-troll", commentators say that these explanations are not an attempt to justify themselves, but another mockery. But Google does not intend to joke, the number of pages of the claim already says a lot. In the event of winning a lawsuit, the company has a chance to bankrupt Stoller, making life easier for all those firms that are now paying him license fees, and those that have not yet received messages from him about mastering a new word.