Company Annual Reports Due May 1

Dear Friends and Clients;
 

Now that tax season is over, don't forget to file your annual report before May 1, 2015 with the Department of State, Division of Corporations. If you fail to do so, a non-waivable late fee of $400 will be imposed for your Company to maintain its active status.

You can go to https://services.sunbiz.org/Filings/AnnualReport/FilingStart to file your report.

 
Please remember that this is the time to update your information.  You should (i) add, delete, or change the names and/or addresses of the officers, directors, managers, managing members, and addresses only of general partners; (ii) change the registered agent and registered office address; (iii) change the principal office address and mailing address for the business entity; and/or (iv) add or change your federal employer identification number. 

Please feel free to call and/or email Cobbe Law directly with any questions or concerns. 

Sincerely,
Melody Cobbe

When Should You Use the “TM” or “®” symbols?

If you claim rights to use a mark, you may use the "TM" (trademark) or "SM" (service mark) symbol to alert the public to your claim of a “common-law” mark.  No registration is necessary to use a "TM" or "SM" symbol and those symbols put people on notice that you claim rights in the mark.  You may only use the federal registration symbol "®" after the USPTO actually registers a mark. 

Trademark, Patent, or Copyright? What are the Differences?

The term “trademark” is often used to refer to both trademarks and service marks.  A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol, and/or design that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods of one party from those of others.  A service mark is a word, phrase, symbol, and/or design that identifies and distinguishes the source of a service rather than goods.  Trademarks are granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO").

When you hear or see the term patent, think of invention.  A patent is a property right relating to an invention for a limited period of time.  Patents are also granted by the USPTO and are in exchange for public disclosure of the invention.

Copyrights protect works of authorship, such as writings, music, and works of art that have been tangibly expressed.  For example, it protects the oil painting, operatic symphony, books, and poetry.

5 Quick Tips About Fictitious Names

1.  A fictitious name means any name under which a person transacts business in this state, other than his legal name.

2.  Registration under the Fictitious Name Act is for public notice only.  It does not affect trademark, service mark, or corporate name rights previously acquired by others in the same or similar name. 

3.  The applicant of the fictitious name is required to advertise the name to be registered at least once in a newspaper.

4.  The newspaper must publish the fictitious name in the county where the principal place of business of the applicant will be located.

5.  A fictitious name registration is valid for a period of 5 years and expires on December 31 of the 5th year.