Susan Feels Really Peeved Over Abuse

Please be aware that if you buy property in the Stagecoach Trails at Santa Fe Ranch Property Owners Association, your association fees may be used to intimidate and harass you for voicing concerns about the corruption you uncover.

Is this good use of our Association Dues?

The Email I received:

My Response:

Dear Mr. Eicher,

I acknowledge receipt of your email dated 07/17/25 (the “Email”), which claims “Impermissible Use of SFRPOA Name and Identifying Acronym”. After carefully examining the allegations presented, I must respectfully assert that your claims lack a solid legal basis and seem to be an unjustified effort to intimidate and harass me (Susan Black).

Your Email does not provide concrete evidence or legal justification for the alleged infringement. It fails to identify any legitimate intellectual property rights that they possess, nor does it illustrate how my actions violate such rights. Additionally, the vague and broad nature of the demands outlined in the Email indicates an intention to impose undue pressure and harassment rather than to present a valid legal claim based on relevant law.

According to the Lanham Act (15 U.S.C. § 1051 et seq.), an acronym can only be protected as a trademark if it is properly registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) or qualifies for common law trademark protection through established commercial use. To obtain trademark protection, the acronym must:

* Serve as a source identifier, distinguishing goods or services in the marketplace;

* Be distinctive, either inherently or through acquired secondary meaning; and

* Not be generic or merely descriptive without secondary meaning.

For instance, an acronym like “NASA” (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) is a registered trademark with the USPTO, granting it legal protection against unauthorized use in relation to associated goods or services. In contrast, unregistered acronyms that are used informally or descriptively without registration or substantial commercial use do not receive trademark protection.

Domain names are regulated by ICANN and registrar policies, rather than directly by trademark law. Possessing a domain does not automatically confer trademark rights, and utilizing an acronym in a domain does not inherently infringe upon a POA’s unregistered acronym.

I consider your email to be an inappropriate attempt to disrupt my lawful activities. Such behavior could be classified as harassment, and I reserve the right to pursue appropriate remedies if this conduct continues. I strongly advise you to stop sending further communications of this kind unless they are accompanied by verifiable evidence of a legitimate legal claim, which should include specific statutory or contractual provisions along with supporting documentation.

To resolve this issue amicably, I invite you to submit any concrete evidence or legal authority that backs your claim within ten (10) business days from the date of this email. If such substantiation is not provided, I will regard this matter as closed and will not respond to any further demands of this nature.

Please be aware that ongoing unfounded claims may force me to seek legal action to safeguard my rights.

As a note, I have included a disclaimer indicating that the site is not affiliated with the Santa Fe Ranch Property Owners Association. This disclaimer is present at the bottom of every page/post.

Susan Black