What is a cease and desist letter?

A cease and desist letter is a letter sent by a trademark owner to someone who the owner believes is infringing the owner’s trademark. These letters demand that the infringing party stop their infringing actions and they also typically include a threat that the trademark owner will file a lawsuit for infringement if the other party does not stop its improper use of the mark. A trademark owner should be sure that they have superior rights (as to the other party) in the mark before sending such a letter, or they risk damaging their own ability to use the trademark.