Duke University
Trademark enforcement profile · on record 1985–2026
Yes. Duke University has filed federal trademark enforcement actions naming online sellers as defendants. On record (1985–2026): 2 federal "Schedule A" trademark infringement (and frequently counterfeiting) lawsuits in which online sellers are named under a sealed defendant exhibit — these proceedings, predominantly filed in the Northern District of Illinois, typically seek ex parte temporary restraining orders under 15 U.S.C. §1116(d) that direct marketplaces and payment processors to restrain the listed defendants' accounts; 4 federal trademark or copyright lawsuits; 341 oppositions and cancellation petitions at the USPTO Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (prevailed in 81% of merits decisions).
Data summary based on public records (USPTO TTAB proceedings and PACER/CourtListener federal court dockets). Figures reflect filings on record, not a characterization of the merits or good faith of any individual action. Not legal advice.
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Federal court filings
Schedule-A cases list defendants under a sealed exhibit and commonly seek ex parte temporary restraining orders under 15 U.S.C. §1116(d). When granted, the court order directs marketplaces (Etsy, Amazon, eBay) and payment processors (PayPal, Stripe) to restrain the listed defendants’ accounts pending the proceeding.
At the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB)
Prevailed in 81% of proceedings the Board actually decided on the merits (settled and withdrawn proceedings excluded from this calculation).
Designs Duke University has opposed
Real trademark applications Duke University challenged at the USPTO — the kind of design that draws an opposition. If your artwork looks like one of these, expect pushback. Each links to its USPTO docket.
Source: USPTO Trademark Trial and Appeal Board records. “Prevailed” means Duke University got the outcome it sought; settled/withdrawn cases ended without a Board ruling on the merits. Images from public USPTO records.
Marks Duke University has asserted in proceedings
| Mark | Serial | Proceedings | Won / lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| DUKE | 78944344 | 255 | 127 / 28 |
| DUKE | 78944306 | 244 | 118 / 28 |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY | 74208935 | 244 | 126 / 26 |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY | 74208934 | 242 | 125 / 25 |
| DKE | 74693793 | 241 | 124 / 25 |
| DKE | 74694684 | 240 | 124 / 25 |
| DUKEtext | 75347293 | 240 | 123 / 25 |
| DKE | 75976141 | 239 | 123 / 25 |
| D KE | 75976140 | 239 | 122 / 26 |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY STOREStext | 74208327 | 232 | 120 / 25 |
| DUKECARDtext | 75892149 | 229 | 117 / 25 |
| DUKE CENTER FOR LIVINGtext | 75321843 | 229 | 117 / 25 |
| DUKEtext | 75567914 | 219 | 111 / 21 |
| DUKIEtext | 78674480 | 216 | 112 / 22 |
| DUKEENGAGEtext | 77700792 | 208 | 107 / 20 |
| UNIVERSITAS DUKIANA ERUDITIO ET RELIGIO | 74208924 | 207 | 108 / 25 |
| IRON DUKEStext | 85356737 | 202 | 101 / 19 |
| DUKE CHILDREN'Stext | 85658564 | 190 | 92 / 18 |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS EXCELLENCE LOYALTY DIVERSITY EDUCATION ACCOUNTABILITYSPORTSMANSHIP COMMITMENT INTEGRITY RESPECT D | 85049335 | 185 | 94 / 20 |
| DUKE MEDICINEtext | 78933450 | 184 | 92 / 17 |
| WASHINGTON DUKE INN & GOLF CLUBtext | 85756810 | 178 | 85 / 18 |
| DUKE FORWARDtext | 85738029 | 171 | 84 / 17 |
| DUKE CONNECTED CAREtext | 77771298 | 161 | 78 / 15 |
| IRON DUKEStext | 86445421 | 143 | 70 / 11 |
| D | 74209062 | 121 | 55 / 18 |
| D | 77409399 | 117 | 54 / 16 |
| D | 76465255 | 113 | 49 / 18 |
| (design-only mark) | 74209061 | 96 | 41 / 15 |
| (design-only mark) | 74209060 | 95 | 40 / 16 |
| DUKE HEALTHtext | 86919362 | 92 | 52 / 6 |
| IRON DUKES ID | 73002136 | 90 | 49 / 13 |
| DUKEtext | 87975498 | 81 | 46 / 5 |
| D U ERUDITIO ET RELIGIO | 74209059 | 79 | 36 / 9 |
| DUKE TIPtext | 86872484 | 78 | 42 / 6 |
| DUKE TIP | 86872488 | 77 | 41 / 6 |
| DUKEtext | 87530381 | 76 | 43 / 5 |
| D | 74208328 | 74 | 35 / 9 |
| DUKE TIP | 86934342 | 73 | 41 / 6 |
| CAMERON CRAZIE D | 75078947 | 73 | 35 / 9 |
| D | 74209067 | 73 | 35 / 9 |
| D | 85447767 | 72 | 35 / 9 |
| D | 75565065 | 72 | 34 / 9 |
| DUKES AND DUCHESSEStext | 86888034 | 70 | 37 / 5 |
| BLUE DEVILStext | 73587834 | 60 | 24 / 11 |
| BLUE DEVILStext | 73588037 | 59 | 24 / 10 |
| (design-only mark) | 74208937 | 43 | 18 / 9 |
| DEVILS' DUPLICATEStext | 75057960 | 39 | 16 / 7 |
| DEVILNETtext | 75892148 | 39 | 16 / 7 |
| DUKE | 74208330 | 34 | 25 / 4 |
| BLUE DEVIL NETWORKtext | 85945625 | 31 | 11 / 6 |
| DUKEtext | 87265122 | 27 | 14 / 0 |
| BLUE DEVILStext | 86729565 | 24 | 10 / 6 |
| BLUE DEVILtext | 86729561 | 23 | 10 / 5 |
| DUKE TRUEtext | 88125473 | 19 | 11 / 0 |
| DUKE ROBOTICStext | 88125465 | 16 | 8 / 0 |
| (design-only mark) | 86891237 | 15 | 7 / 2 |
| JB DUKE HOTELtext | 88348517 | 9 | 2 / 0 |
| THE LODGE AT DUKE MEDICAL CENTERtext | 88610747 | 9 | 2 / 0 |
| (design-only mark) | 74208936 | 7 | 4 / 2 |
| THE BROTHERHOOD D | 90661203 | 5 | 2 / 0 |
From public USPTO records. A mark is listed when it appears as a senior asserted mark in TTAB or federal-court proceedings on file. Serial links open the USPTO TSDR record.
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Data sources: publicly published USPTO Trademark Trial and Appeal Board proceedings (1951–2026, with possible gaps before electronic filing) and U.S. federal court dockets (PACER/CourtListener, nature-of-suit codes 840 and 820). Figures reflect filings on record and do not characterize the merits, validity, or legitimacy of any individual action by Duke University. Trademark holders have legal rights — and in some doctrines, an obligation — to enforce registered marks. This page does not provide legal advice; consult licensed counsel for case-specific questions. See the full leaderboard.