CaseWare International Inc., together with CaseWare IDEA Inc. and Audimation Services, Inc., today filed a trademark infringement action against the U.S. Securities and Exchange mission (SEC) to s the SEC from infringing CaseWare International’s trademark IDEA. CaseWare International Inc. is the owner of the trademark IDEA, CaseWare IDEA Inc. is the developer and exclusive licensee of IDEA data analysis software, and Audimation Services, Inc. is the sole distributor of CaseWare IDEA products in the U.S. The suit is a reaction to the SEC’s announced intention to use IDEA as a trademark in nnection with software and services with similar functions as CaseWare’s IDEA data analysis software. CaseWare’s trademark IDEA, which has been used extensively since 1987, was registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in 2001.

“Our actions result from the SEC’s surprising failure to take a responsible approach to our objections and simply find another, non-infringing trademark,” said Cal Bruner, Chief Financial Officer, CaseWare International Inc. “This failure mes at a time when the SEC can ill afford to be seen as inattentive to its image. We are prepared to pursue all available legal remedies to protect the investment in our trademark IDEA, which the SEC actions now threaten to destroy.”

“Our mpanies have participated in the XBRL nsortium for 10 years; the SEC’s announcement is an exciting development for the XBRL world and for users of financial data in general,” said Bob Cuthbertson, Chief Operating Officer, CaseWare IDEA Inc. “We have no argument against the SEC’s initiative, just their choice of name. I was a member of the XBRL International Steering mittee for over three years and we demonstrated our products at several XBRL International nferences, which SEC staff also attended.”

“As a family-owned business, we have been systematically creating jobs in the high tech sector since 1993, and have invested heavily in building the brand around the trademark IDEA here in the U.S.,” said Carolyn Newman, CEO and -founder of Audimation Services, Inc. “With this unfortunate choice of name by the SEC, we run the risk of losing our entire investment. We’ve already seen nfusion in the marketplace over this naming.”