Domain Name Dispute, What To Expect After You’ve Won

You file a UDRP complaint under ICANN and a panel has ordered a transfer of the stolen domain name. From this point, you would think everything would automatically fall into place, but more often than not, you will still have some work to do.

Under the domain name dispute policy, more specifically UDRP Policy Paragraph 4(K), it states that the registrar is required to implement the Panel’s decision 10 (ten) business days after it receives notification of the decision from the dispute resolution service provider, except if the registrar receives information from the domain name registrant (Respondent) in that 10-day period that it is challenging.

Here are some steps cybersquatting lawyers use to ensure that the stolen domain name is transferred back to you:

  • Establish an account for the domain name
  • Ensure the registrar updates the domain name servers (DNS)
  • Ensure the registrar provides you with an Authorization Code so that you can initiate the transfer of the registrar and modify the contact information
  • Initiate a request for the transfer of registrar using the Authorization Code
    • Note: most registrars have an automated process that requires confirmation from the Admin-C contact on the account.
  • Ensure the registrar updates the WHOIS database for the domain name to include your information for the Admin/Technical/Billing contact.

If you become a victim of domain name theft, winning your cybersquatting arbitration is key. Still, the domain name transfer process doesn’t always go as smoothly as it should and may require experienced cybersquatting lawyers to get the domain name back for you. This involves working with your IT person and the registrar, both new and old, to ensure the cybersquatting Panel’s decision is implemented.