Miscellaneous
Letters and Threats
from Urantia Foundation
LAW OFFICES
SCHREEDER, WHEELER & FLINT
The Candler Building
Sixteenth Floor
127 Peachtree Street, N.E.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30303-1845
(404) 681-3450 (?)
TELECOPIER: (404) 681-1046
June 3, 1996
Mr. Chris Hansen
P.O. Box 327
Navesink, New Jersey 07752
Pathways, Inc.
P.O. Box 327
Navesink, New Jersey 07752
Re: Trademark Infringement-Urantia Foundation vs. Hansen
Dear Mr. Hansen:
Please be advised that we represent
the Urantia Foundation.
Examples of two of your publications
which have been shown to us,
God's Bible and The Urantia Papers,
prominently display the
Foundation's mark (copy enclosed),
with a cross superimposed upon
it. We believe that the use of the
Foundation's mark in this
manner constitutes trademark
infringement. Therefore, you should
refrain from using the concentric
circles in this manner.
Since these works are merely
retitled versions of The Urantia Book,
they also infringe the Foundation's
copyright. The
Foundation is concerned that you may
be operating under the false
assumption that you cannot be held
liable for copyright
infringement for copying and
distributing these works during the
appeal of Maaherra. You are advised
that if the Judge' s opinion is
reversed, you will be subject to the
penalties for infringement
under the Copyright Act.
While the Foundation has appealed
from the district court
Judge's opinion in Urantia Foundation
v. Maaherra that the
Foundation's, 1983 renewal of its copyright
in The Urantia Book was
invalid, we anticipate that the appeal
will be successful, and the
validity of the copyright will be
restored. You should keep in
mind that the judge's opinion in
Maaherra did not affect the
Foundation's ownership of its
trademarks, service marks and
collective membership marks in
"Urantia", Urantian" and the
concentric circles design.
We remind you that neither Maaherra
nor any other case has in
any way, temporarily or otherwise,
affected -the vitality of the
Foundation's rights in its
trademarks.. You should also be aware
that the Lanham Act provides
substantial damages for trademark
infringement. It would be best for all
concerned if you would
voluntarily stop infringing. However,
you are advised that the
Foundation intends to take all steps
which are necessary (including
litigation if necessary) to protect
its intellectual property.
Sincerely,
Dean Booth
Urantia Foundation
533 Diversey Parkway
Chicago Illinois 60614
November 27, 1990
URANTIA
CERTIFIED MAIL- RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
Mr. George L. Park, President
Urantia Society of Central Connecticut
P.O. Box 88
Farmington, CT 06247
Dear Mr. Park:
In our August 1, 1990 letter, we
stated that your society MUST agree to
comply-- in writing by September 30, 1990 --
with certain requirements in
order to maintain it's license from URANTIA
Foundation; (2) agrees to
affiliate with URANTIA Brotherhood
ASSOCIATION and (3) agrees to refrain
from maintaining or establishing ANY
relationship or affiliation with or
participating in activities or events
sponsored by The Fifth Epochal
Fellowship or any other organization acting
in a fashion inconsistent with
the policies and purposes of the
Foundation. Contrary to the statements in
your September 29, 1990
letter, URANTIA Foundation has the right under the
Licensing Agreement to impose such
requirements.
Your Society has not complied with the
above requirements and is, therefore,
in breach of its Licensing Agreement with
URANTIA Foundation. Moreover,
your Society has informed us that it refuses
to agree to not affiliate with
F.E.F.
Please be advised that your Society's
license from URANTIA Foundation will be
terminated- unless your society informs
URANTIA Foundation in writing by
December 30, 1990, that your Society
will comply with the above
requirements.
Sincerely,
The Trustees of URANTIA Foundation
Pathways Inc
PO Box 327
Navesink, NJ 07752-9982
Dear Chris Hansen,
I have enclosed herewith for your information a copy of the Opinion of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in URANTIA Foundation v. Maaherra.
Judgement was entered on June 10, reversing the judgment of United States District Court in Phoenix, Arizona. As you have previously been advised, the effect is that the copyright has always been valid.
Consequently, we need to get with you to go over the infringements which have taken place so we can agree on damages, sale, disposition of existing books, and so forth. Also, if you have not done so, you should immediately cease publications and all infringements. We believe your prior infringements were willful, but if you continue to infringe, there will be no question about it.
We hope we can work out a suitable damage amount so that litigation will not be necessary, and so all of us can avoid that expense.
Please contact me at your convenience so we can arrange to get together and go over numbers and see what the appropriate amount should be.
Very truly yours,
Patricia
Mundelius
President of Urantia
Foundation
URANTIAN News September 1992
PRICE OF THE URANTIA BOOK
The price of The URANTIA Book has remained at $34.00 since 1979. But is $34.00 a reasonable price today for a book of the size, quality, and content of The URANTIA Book? How does the publishing industry determine the price of a book?
Four standard methods are:
1. Three cents a page or about $65.00 for
The URANTIA Book.
2. Five to eight times production cost for
mass-market books or $62.00-$99.00 for a book the size of The URANTIA Book.
3. Ten to twenty times production cost for
specialty books or $124.00-$248.00 for The URANTIA Book.
4. Taking into account inflation, as
measured by the change in the Consumer Price Index since 1979, the price of The
URANTIA Book should be in the $60.00 - $65.00 range.
As we mentioned in our last newsletter, a price increase is inevitable. But the Trustees intend to maintain the current price until the end of the year. Effective 1 January 1993, however, the Trustees intend to increase the price to an amount more in line with book industry standards.