Reverse Domain Name Hijacking (RDNH)

Reverse Domain Name Hijacking (RDNH) occurs when a trademark owner files a [[udrp]] complaint in bad faith, attempting to deprive a legitimate domain owner of their registration. [[icann]] policy requires [[udrp]] panels to declare RDNH when a complainant knew it could not succeed on the merits — for example, because the [[registrant]] registered the domain before the trademark existed, or because the complainant's trademark rights are weak or generic. An RDNH finding carries no direct financial penalty but is a formal public rebuke that may deter future abusive complaints and is often cited in subsequent proceedings against the same complainant.