YETI COOLERS, LLC
v.
THE INDIVIDUALS, BUSINESS ENTITIES, AND UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS IDENTIFIED ON SCHEDULE A

S.D. Fla. | 2021-09-29
No. 21-cv-62008
District Court, S.D. Florida (2021)

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Holding

The court granted YETI's motion for alternate service of process via email and website posting on foreign defendants.


Headnotes

[1] Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4(f)(3) grants district courts discretion to authorize alternative methods of service upon foreign defendants when not prohibited by inter…

[2] Service by email or website posting is not prohibited by the Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents in Civil or Commercial Matters…

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Facts & Procedural History

YETI Coolers, LLC sued numerous foreign individuals and entities for trademark infringement and counterfeiting. YETI sought to serve these defendants …

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Opinion of the Court

Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4(f)(3), ECF No. (the “Motion”). In its Complaint, Plaintiff sets forth claims against Defendants for (1) trademark counterfeiting and infringement, (2) false designation of origin, (3) cybersquatting, (4) common law unfair competition, and (5) common law trademark infringement. See ECF No. . More specifically, Plaintiff alleges that Defendants promote, sell, offer for sale, and distribute goods bearing counterfeits and confusingly similar imitations of Plaintiff’s trademarks, thereby infringing Plaintiff’s trademarks. Id. Plaintiff contends that Defendants are accomplishing these infringement activities by operating commercial Internet websites under their respective domain names identified on Schedule “A” hereto (the “Subject Domain Names”). Plaintiff contends that Defendants operate via the Internet and utilize electronic means as reliable forms of contact. See ECF No. , at 3-6. According to Plaintiff, it has good cause to believe that Defendants are all residents of the People’s Republic of China (“China”), the Republic of Indonesia (“Indonesia”), United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (“United Kingdom”), or other foreign jurisdictions, and/or redistribute products from sources in those locations. Id. at 13. Plaintiff further contends that Defendants have at least one operational form of electronic contact, demonstrating that this means of contact is not just effective, but the most reliable means of communicating with Defendants. Id. at 3-6. Consequently, Plaintiff asserts that e-mail, including onsite contact, is the most reliable means of providing Defendants with notice of this action. Id. at 9-11. Rule 4(f)(3) allows a district court to order an alternate method for service to be effected upon foreign defendants, provided that it is not prohibited by international agreement, and is reasonably calculated to give notice to the defendants. See Brookshire Bros. v. Chiquita Brands Int’l, Inc., No. 05-CIV-21962, 2007 WL 1577771, at *2 (S.D. Fla. May 31, 2007) (“[D]istrict courts have found broad discretion under Rule 4(f)(3) to authorize other methods of service that are consistent with due process and are not prohibited by international agreements.”) (citing

Prewitt Enters., Inc. v. Org. of Petroleum Exporting Countries, 353 F. 3d 916, 921, 927 (11th Cir. 2003)); Rio Props., Inc. v. Rio Int’l Interlink, 284 F. 3d 1007, 1015 (9th Cir. 2002). The plain language of Rule 4(f)(3) reflects that the decision to issue an order allowing alternate means of service lies within the discretion of the district court. Service by e-mail is not prohibited under international agreement in this case. Although the United States and China are signatories to the Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Extra-Judicial Documents in Civil and Commercial Matters (the “Hague Convention”),1 the Hague Convention does not specifically preclude service of process via e-mail or by posting on a designated website. Where a signatory nation has objected to the alternative means of service

Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents in Civil or Commercial Matters, Nov. 15, 1965, 658 U.N.T.S. 16, is limited to the specific forms of service objected to). A court acting under Rule 4(f)(3), therefore, remains free to order alternative means of service where a signatory nation has not expressly objected to those means. See Gurung v. Malhotra, 279 F.R.D. 215, 219 (S.D.N.Y. 2011). Accordingly, service by e-mail or internet communication does not violate an international agreement. Rule 4(f)(3) was “adopted in order to provide flexibility and discretion to the federal courts in dealing with questions of alternative methods of service of process in foreign countries.” In re Int’l Telemedia Assoc., Inc., 245 B.R. 713, 719 (N.D. Ga. 2000). What constitutes appropriate service varies depending on the circumstances of the case and turns on the court’s determination of whether the alternative method is reasonably calculated to apprise the parties of the pendency of the action and afford them an opportunity to present their objections. Philip Morris USA, Inc. v. Veles Ltd., No. 06 CV 2988 (GBD), 2007 WL 725412, at *2 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 12, 2007). Here, the Court finds that Plaintiff has shown good cause for leave to allow service of the Summonses, Complaint, and all future filings in this matter upon each Defendant via e-mail and via posting on a designated website. Accordingly, after careful review of the Motion, the evidence submitted in support of the

Motion, and the applicable law, it is ORDERED AND ADJUDGED as follows:

1. Plaintiff's Motion, ECF No. , is GRANTED.

2. Plaintiff shall serve the Summonses, Complaint, and all filings in this matter upon Defendants via e-mail by providing the address to Plaintiff's designated serving notice website to Defendants via the e-mail addresses provided by each Defendant as part of the domain registration records for each of their respective domain names, including service via registrar, or directly on the Internet website operating under each of their respective corresponding domain names, including customer service e-mail addresses and onsite contact forms. See attached Schedule “A” which lists Defendants by Defendant number, Subject Domain Name, and associated means of contact. 3. Plaintiff shall serve Defendants via website posting by posting a copy of the Summonses, Complaint, and all filings in this matter on Plaintiff's designated serving notice website appearing at the URL [...] html. DONE AND ORDERED in Chambers at Miami, Florida, on September 28, 2021.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Copies to: Counsel of record

SCHEDULE “A” DEFENDANTS BY NUMBER,

SUBJECT DOMAIN NAME AND MEANS OF CONTACT

No. Domain [email protected]1 yetidiscount.store [email protected] [email protected]1 yetibox.store [email protected]1 yetibrand.shop [email protected]1 yeticooleronline.store [email protected]1 yeticoolersus.store [email protected]1 yetionline.store [email protected]1 yetionlinediscount.shop [email protected]1 yetioutdoorbox.store [email protected]1 yetioutdoors.online [email protected]1 yetioutdoors.store [email protected]1 yetius.club [email protected] [email protected]2 trswme.com [email protected]2 aajon.com [email protected]2 aomcws.com [email protected]2 aozsci.com [email protected]2 bsolk.com [email protected]2 dwbipe.com [email protected]2 foybc.com [email protected]2 ifvnf.com [email protected]2 narkbt.com [email protected]2 ncdpz.com [email protected]2 nsbake.com [email protected]

No. Domain2 obnqo.com [email protected]2 ocaite.com [email protected]2 ogpfj.com [email protected]2 onceut.com [email protected]2 otwnuc.com [email protected]2 ouecan.com [email protected]2 supoie.com [email protected]2 toaskz.com [email protected]2 ugfav.com [email protected]2 wceisu.com [email protected]2 wcumir.com [email protected]2 wusoem.com [email protected]2 yzxsi.com [email protected]2 ziweps.com [email protected]2 zmecuo.com [email protected]2 zylqc.com [email protected]2 xwtzt.com [email protected]2 tncxib.com [email protected]2 eozas.com [email protected] [email protected]2 fnwkq.com [email protected] 3 umtnx.com [email protected] 3 knprvo.com [email protected]

No. Domain [email protected]4 loven.shop [email protected] [email protected]4 lullriaby.com [email protected] [email protected]4 moriling.shop [email protected] [email protected]4 shevme.com [email protected]

4 live-oak.shop [email protected]

4 long-view.shop [email protected]

4 miraclelovely.com [email protected]

4 snipehappy.com [email protected]

4 your-love.shop [email protected]4 just-right.shop

4 paralovely.com [email protected] [email protected] 5 yt.jicwo.shop [email protected] [email protected] 5 dteqpe.shop [email protected] 5 yt.hefiw.shop [email protected] 5 yt.hywwn.shop [email protected] 5 yt.smduu.shop [email protected] 5 sywzjb.shop [email protected] 5 bkjtai.shop [email protected] 5 wjrfxo.shop [email protected] [email protected] 6 iwetnz.com [email protected] 6 mzucoe.com [email protected]

No. Domain [email protected] 7 mtaesn.com [email protected] 7 nwhvp.com [email protected] 7 rmskv.com [email protected] 7 losgv.com [email protected] 7 okneb.com [email protected]

8 crush-you.shop [email protected]

8 dream-lover.shop [email protected]

8 sincerely-friends.shop [email protected] 9 yt.atknyi.shop [email protected] [email protected] 9 yt.rurxhv.shop [email protected] 9 yt.uomkhy.shop [email protected] 9 yt.xpivrh.shop [email protected] 10 duoqea.com [email protected] 10 qucnc.com [email protected] https://boudfd.shop/pages/contact-us 11 boudfd.shop [email protected] https://ncasls.shop/pages/contact-us 12 ncasls.shop [email protected] [email protected] 13 eootop.com [email protected] 14 hasika.shop [email protected] [email protected] 15 softkudos.com [email protected] [email protected] 16 ygonmall.com [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 17 avhonda.com [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 18 cconline.top [email protected]

No. Domain 19 chgong.shop [email protected] [email protected] 20 moon.lay-tw.top [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 21 teti-store.com [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 22 hasal.buzz CONTACT2@TOKJINYU.COM 23 tespecifut.com [email protected] [email protected] 24 walmarrt.shop [email protected] 25 wingzoi.com [email protected] [email protected]

KELI LEI

26 poceters.tw [email protected] 26 yeticooler.store [email protected] 26 miniyeticooler.top [email protected] 27 outletyeti.com [email protected] [email protected] 28 yetishoping.com [email protected] [email protected] 28 yetishopps.com [email protected] 8817d7d9a2eb4e088ed624edd7472fd3.pro 29 yetiecooler.com [email protected] pw- eafc584d4d7d2434cda8ac4c164ee3e6@pri 29 yeticoolerusa.com vacyguardian.org 30 yetishopuk.com [email protected] PW- 0D029590AB4C25CDC8B37ACDB0A406 31 yetiuscoolers.com [email protected]

32 nayeti.top [email protected]

32 nayetisales.site

32 nayetishopsilo.club

No. Domain

32 nayetisilo.club [email protected]

32 usyeti.club

32 usyeti.top

32 usyeticooler.club

32 usyeticooler.shop

32 usyeticooler.website

32 usyeticoolers.club 32 usyeticoolerss.cc [email protected]

32 usyetisales.site

32 usyetishop.club

32 usyetishops.site [email protected]

32 usyetishops.top [email protected] 32 yetiai.shop

32 yeticooler.site

32 yeticoolersale.club

32 yeticoolersale.online

32 yeticoolersale.website

PW- 681C2D4D2E54CF43C1487C9557C27681 32 yeticoolersales.cc @PRIVACYGUARDIAN.ORG

32 yeticoolersales.website

PW- 1AFD3952029E62A8C7A5D9D99946C1E 32 yeticoolershop.cc [email protected]

No. Domain

PW- 57B5D854DDC0FDBCA6FA15B688600C 32 yeticoolerssales.cc [email protected]

32 yeticoolerssales.shop [email protected] 32 yeticoolerssales.site

PW- 4AC70F29489BD344FB1A76CC1D1198A 32 yeticteeys.cc [email protected]

PW- 4ACD109D1AFF526C5D3A4E978295FD 32 yetiinsale.cc [email protected]

PW- 9321EE838A6AB29333023843F80FD85A 32 yetiinstore.cc @PRIVACYGUARDIAN.ORG 32 yetimx.shop CONTACT2@TOKJINYU.COM

PW- 1D3768C76CDB0ED03622F2E9B313EED 32 yetionlinee.cc4@PRIVACYGUARDIAN.ORG

PW- 90C237F08FCC1125431A3F339ACC6FB 32 yetionlinel.cc4@PRIVACYGUARDIAN.ORG

PW-

AF5FE4A4673094317522EFB187833829

32 yetionlinett.cc @PRIVACYGUARDIAN.ORG

PW-

BF5CE4DBCC62A64DE34D81AD6D831

32 yetisale.cc [email protected]

32 yetisalede.cc

No. Domain PW- 613C30367FC19632886B31E1F0F5C037 @PRIVACYGUARDIAN.ORG

PW- 18FBC34FD42C518B5C911E1E4D3E993 32 yetisalelk.cc4@PRIVACYGUARDIAN.ORG

32 yetisaler.cc

32 yetisaleus.club

32 yetisaleus.website

PW-

E4765D6D32F8EB7117754C69AC0CD3F

32 yetishopti.cc [email protected]

PW- 5DFDD7CE610816D4577510B9286D8DC 32 yetishopto.cc [email protected]

PW- 2F445D457ABF65A8C51012900E6C4F48 32 yetistorell.cc @PRIVACYGUARDIAN.ORG

PW- 015B912DADF970C382D3FD7F5178F20 32 yetistoretu.cc1@PRIVACYGUARDIAN.ORG

[email protected] PW-

CEE0431EBBB3EF90EFECBFE54663057

32 yetisueusd.cc [email protected]

PW- 93A3C601C7204A1A1ED1257454717C49 32 yetitosale.cc @PRIVACYGUARDIAN.ORG

32 yetitravel.top

No. Domain 32 yetitt.top

32 yetiusale.online

32 yetiusale.shop

PW- 154135902932C4FF3FC8BAFC1BFF55E7 32 yetiuscooler.cc @PRIVACYGUARDIAN.ORG

PW-

CB132F62227CD7087F1552740E660758

32 yetiuscoolers.cc @PRIVACYGUARDIAN.ORG

32 yetiuscoolers.website

32 yetiusonl.site

32 yetiussales.online

32 yetiussales.website

32 yetiussaless.online

[email protected] PW- 6F325CE6D619045109E46D1E93B401FE 32 yetiww.cc @PRIVACYGUARDIAN.ORG 32 yetiyeti.shop 32 yetiyeti.top

[email protected] PW- 6DE68475811F2086E08580A06B02DB9D 32 yetiyour.cc @PRIVACYGUARDIAN.ORG 32 yetiys.shop

32 yetiyy.top [email protected] 32 yyetti.top

No. Domain 32 bhjas.buzz 32 boxshop.top 32 fashbag.store CONTACT2@TOKJINYU.COM 32 ferula.top CONTACT2@TOKJINYU.COM 32 findli.top 32 goupup.top 32 homai.buzz 32 jkwis.buzz 32 kongzi.best 32 laozi.shop 32 luisr.top 32 luxun.shop 32 lywdas.top 32 mountaim.top 32 nuona.shop 32 nzlis.buzz 32 ousala.top 32 outdoorcc.shop 32 outdoorct.shop 32 outdoormn.shop CONTACT2@TOKJINYU.COM 32 outdoorpz.shop 32 outdoorqv.shop

No. Domain 32 outdoorts.shop 32 outdoorxs.shop 32 outdoorz.shop 32 qassd.top 32 uijsa.top

32 usyiout.top [email protected] 32 yeuaot.top 32 yirsa.top 32 yttrt.top 32 nisaw.buzz CONTACT2@TOKJINYU.COM 33 lfindmall.com contact4@tokjinyu.com 33 lgirlmall.com contact4@tokjinyu.com 34 ngsee.com [email protected] [email protected] 34 dguaao.com [email protected] 34 ibotme.com [email protected] 35 azescb.com [email protected] 35 bomswy.com [email protected] 35 bteknv.com [email protected] 35 dwgivo.com [email protected] 35 ibaedm.com [email protected] 35 iceknd.com [email protected] 35 igumos.com [email protected]

No. Domain 35 ikegcv.com [email protected] 35 iunsw.com [email protected] 35 izwcm.com [email protected] 35 kzwdtm.com [email protected] 35 nmbczt.com [email protected] 35 ocswmz.com [email protected] 35 oifys.com [email protected] 35 puzdr.com [email protected] 35 temwsi.com [email protected] 35 tkdoci.com [email protected] 35 tnabke.com [email protected] 35 treobn.com [email protected] 35 tznio.com [email protected] 35 vwgec.com [email protected] 35 wbcasy.com [email protected] 35 weikvu.com [email protected] 35 wlnaq.com [email protected] 35 xzuac.com [email protected] 35 zmtuo.com [email protected] 35 zrkwt.com [email protected] 35 ztemyw.com [email protected] 36 bikosw.com [email protected]

No. Domain 36 bzitva.com [email protected] 36 keysnb.com [email protected] 36 kzmwiu.com [email protected] 36 mzowsa.com [email protected] 36 ybkoet.com [email protected] 36 wbomyt.com [email protected] 37 dwzumt.com [email protected] 37 enmtw.com [email protected] 37 hseyl.com [email protected] 37 imwxe.com [email protected] 37 kmnbts.com [email protected] 37 mckabz.com [email protected] 37 nozmwa.com [email protected] 37 ogzwti.com [email protected] 37 rkiys.com [email protected] 37 smtnaw.com [email protected] 37 swxtz.com [email protected] 38 cotneb.com [email protected] 38 eobtnz.com [email protected] 38 meuxt.com [email protected] 38 tvczkn.com [email protected] 38 uateo.com [email protected]

No. Domain 38 unokwm.com [email protected] 38 uovktg.com [email protected] 38 uwtvei.com [email protected] 38 wfgvc.com [email protected] 38 zbwmea.com [email protected] 38 zkditn.com [email protected] 39 blueereen.com [email protected] 39 dissmanne.com [email protected] [email protected]; 40 outdoorb.shop [email protected] [email protected] 40 outdoorkn.shop [email protected] 40 outdoorhm.shop [email protected] [email protected] pw- e970ee0591df77ad82dc3d7bb137e33f@pri 41 all-love.shop vacyguardian.org 42 argsaret.com [email protected] PW- 1EA0060591B86523890AD56279D12DE 43 coolerss.cc [email protected] 44 dylei.shop [email protected] 45 discountel.club [email protected] 46 fooutdoor.com [email protected] 3E3F45F4E73342699674B0AB79656A35. PROTECT@WITHHELDFORPRIVACY. 47 hibernier.com COM 48 hywwn.shop [email protected] https://www.jinchuan22.com/index.php?m 49 jinchuan22.com ain_page=contact_us 50 mitduc.com [email protected]

No. Domain 51 nxbjyy.com https://nxbjyy.com/contact_us.html 52 outdoornc.shop [email protected] 53 salediscount.club [email protected] https://www.shopifyy.site/h-module- 54 shopifyy.site feedback.html 55 swoarey.com [email protected] 56 tikrb.top [email protected] [email protected] 57 tsun.run [email protected] 58 vdscxsd.xyz [email protected] 3FD92A8CE222409799AE00F00B4D92A 9.PROTECT@WITHHELDFORPRIVAC 59 watchatjoy.com Y.COM 38406D310FC643F2B496A8A42091F474 .PROTECT@WITHHELDFORPRIVACY. 60 watcheckle.com COM

Footnotes
1 Indonesia is not a signatory to the Hague Convention. See ECF No. at 13. provided by the Hague Convention, that objection is expressly limited to those means and does not represent an objection to other forms of service, such e-mail or website posting.2 Stat Med. Devices, Inc. v. HTL-Strefa, Inc., No. 15-cv-20590-FAM, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 122000 (S.D. Fla. Sept. 14, 2015) (noting that an objection to the alternative forms of service set forth in the
2 China and the United Kingdom have not expressly objected to service via e-mail or website posting. See ECF No. [12-2]. Case No. 21-cv-62008-BLOOM/Valle
4 imaginetime.shop [email protected]

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