Audits: They're Not Just For The IRS Any More

Recently, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (the "PTO") issued its 5,000,000^th registration. (Congratulations to the owner of COASTAL TACO BAR + CHILL!). It took until 1974 for the PTO to issue the 1,000,000^th registration, but only about five years lapsed between the 4,000,000^th and 5,000,000^th registrations. Not only is the number of trademark registrations growing, the rate of growth is increasing too.

The ease of electronic filing and other factors likely contribute to the rapidly growing number of federal trademark registrations. The register is getting crowded, raising questions about whether all those registered marks are really in use with all those recited goods and services.