Trademark Hearing: How to Check the Date, Cause List and Join the Video Hearing
Short answer: Your hearing date comes in the hearing notice from the Trade Marks Registry and appears on your application's status page. To confirm the day's list, check IP India's Hearing Cause Lists or Dynamic Hearing Cause Lists under Trade Marks > Track Proceedings. Hearings are held online: the Virtual Hearing Rooms page on ipindia.gov.in gives the room for each type of hearing. If you cannot attend, ask for an adjournment on Form TM-M at least three days before the hearing.
Which hearing are you in?
IP India publishes separate dynamic cause lists for each kind of trademark hearing:
| Dynamic cause list on IP India | Typical situation |
|---|---|
| Dynamic Trade Marks Show Cause List | Your reply to the examination report was not accepted, and the status shows "Ready for Show Cause Hearing" |
| Dynamic Opposition / Rectification Hearing Cause List | An opposition to your application, or a rectification or cancellation case, has reached the hearing stage |
| Dynamic Post Registration Cause List | A request concerning a registered mark (for example a change in the register) needs a hearing |
| Dynamic Formality Check Hearing Cause List | The application failed the formality check and needs a hearing |
| Dynamic Section 19 Hearing Cause List | The Registrar proposes to withdraw an acceptance under section 19 |
| Dynamic Copyright NOC Cause List | A no-objection certificate for a copyright artistic work (logo) is being considered |
Need help with this?
Facing an examination report, a show-cause hearing or an opposition? See our trademark objection reply and opposition service. We are a trademark consultant in Ahmedabad working with businesses across Gujarat.
How to check your hearing date
- Read the hearing notice. The Registry sends it to the applicant's or agent's email address on record. It gives the date, time and mode of the hearing. The first hearing is fixed at least one month after the first notice.
- Check the status page. Open your application on the e-Register (tmrsearch.ipindia.gov.in/estatus) and look at the hearing details and documents; see how to check trademark status.
- Confirm on the cause list. On ipindia.gov.in go to Trade Marks > Track Proceedings > Hearing Cause Lists, or Dynamic Hearing Cause Lists for the list that matches your hearing (table above), and search for your application number.
How to join the video hearing
- On ipindia.gov.in open Trade Marks > Track Proceedings > Virtual Hearing Rooms. Rooms are listed by type:
- TLA
- Opposition & Rectification
- Post-Registration
- Sec. 19 / Sec. 57(4)
- Formality Check
- Copyright NOC
- Join a few minutes early, with the application number, your written submissions and evidence ready to share.
- Present your arguments to the hearing officer; keep to the points raised in the examination report or the opposition.
Prepare before the hearing
- Written submissions. File them in advance so the officer has your case in writing; see our show-cause hearing written submissions draft.
- Evidence of use. If you rely on prior use or acquired distinctiveness, have the affidavit and documents ready; see the acquired distinctiveness affidavit.
- Objection grounds. Know the case law on your ground; see trademark hearing case laws.
If you cannot attend: adjournment
Apply for an adjournment on Form TM-M at least three days before the hearing date. A party gets no more than two adjournments, each of not more than thirty days. Our hearing adjournment request draft sets out the grounds. Do not simply stay away: if you neither attend nor obtain an adjournment, the matter can be decided against you, and an objected application can end up refused or treated as abandoned.
For what the status means before and after the hearing, see Ready for Show Cause Hearing and all trademark status meanings.