In one 2026 court appeal against a provisional refusal by the Iraqi Trademark Office, the three-expert panel reported against our client's position. At that point the owner could ask the court to appoint a larger, five-expert panel. The client decided not to.
At the next hearing we objected orally to the findings of the three-expert report and told the judge that no five-expert panel would be requested. The judge closed the pleadings at that hearing and set the decision date about two weeks later.
Then the detail that catches people out: we received the decision eight days after it was issued. The appeal to the Court of Cassation must be filed within 30 days from the date of issuance, not from the day the copy arrives. So the client had about three weeks, not thirty days, to decide and instruct.
Before the hearing where the expert report is discussed, agree with your client:
- Whether to request a larger expert panel
- Whether you would appeal an adverse decision
- That the cassation deadline counts from the issue date
Facing a trademark dispute in an Iraqi court? Our Baghdad team is happy to talk it through.