Title Companies Battle over Names
by October 6, 2008 12:00 am 94 views
The usually quiet title industry is turning ugly in northwest Arkansas.
Realty Title & Closing Services LLC of Fayetteville has sued another title company for setting up shop just down the road with a similar sounding name.
The competitor’s name?
Realty Title & Escrow Services Inc. of Memphis.
Realty Title & Closing said it has been using its name since June 2005 and has five offices in Northwest Arkansas.
In 2004, Realty Title & Escrow came to Arkansas from Tennessee and set up shop in Pulaski County. But it expanded to Rogers in June. And in July, Realty Title & Escrow opened a shop in Fayetteville, across the street from Realty Title & Closing.
Realty Title & Escrow also has plans to open offices in Bentonville and Siloam Springs, Realty Title & Closing said in its lawsuit.
Realty Title & Closing is suing for trademark infringement and unfair competition. Realty Title & Closing also wants the other company to stop using the name Realty Title.
Recently, Realty Title & Escrow fired back and said it has the rights to the name, which it has been using since 1987.
We “are concerned about the similarity of our corporate names,” General Manager Fran Curtis said in the letter, which was attached as an exhibit in the case.
Curtis said his company registered its name in Arkansas before Realty Title & Closing did.