30-13-310. Filing of applications. - Montana Statutes

     30-13-310. Filing of applications. (1) Upon the filing of an application for registration and payment of the application fee, the secretary of state may cause the application to be examined for conformity with this part.
     (2) The applicant shall provide any additional pertinent information requested by the secretary of state, including a description of a design mark, and may make or authorize the secretary of state to make amendments to the application that may be reasonably requested by the secretary of state or considered by the applicant to be advisable to respond to any rejection or objection.
     (3) The secretary of state may require the applicant to disclaim an unregisterable component of a mark otherwise registerable, and an applicant may voluntarily disclaim a component of a mark sought to be registered. A disclaimer may not prejudice or affect the applicant's or registrant's rights then existing or later arising in the disclaimed matter or the applicant's or registrant's rights of registration on another application if the disclaimed matter is or has become distinctive of the applicant's or registrant's goods or services.
     (4) Amendments may be made by the secretary of state upon the application submitted by the applicant upon the applicant's agreement, or the secretary of state may require that a new application be submitted.
     (5) If the applicant is found not to be entitled to registration, the secretary of state shall advise the applicant of that finding and of the reasons for the finding. The applicant must have a reasonable period of time, specified by the secretary of state, in which to reply or to amend the application. In the event of a reply or amended application, the application must be reexamined. This procedure may be repeated until:
     (a) the secretary of state finally refuses registration of the mark; or
     (b) the applicant fails to reply or amend the application within the specified period, in which case the application is considered abandoned.
     (6) If the secretary of state finally refuses registration of the mark, the applicant may seek a writ of mandamus to compel registration. The writ may be granted, but without costs to the secretary of state, on proof that all the statements in the application are true and that the mark is otherwise entitled to registration.
     (7) If applications are concurrently being processed by the secretary of state seeking registration of the same or confusingly similar marks for the same or related goods or services, the secretary of state shall grant priority to the applications in order of filing. If a prior application is granted a registration, the other application or applications must be rejected. A rejected applicant may bring an action for cancellation of the registration upon grounds of prior or superior rights to the mark in accordance with the provisions of 30-13-318.

     History: En. Sec. 4, Ch. 257, L. 2003.