Showing posts with label Trademarks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trademarks. Show all posts

Second Circuit: Vans, Inc. v. MSCHF Product Studio, Inc.

Where an alleged trademark infringer incorporates with distortion the characteristics of the original product that indicate its origin and source, the enhanced First Amendment protections for parodies are properly not considered in the preliminary injunction analysis under the statute.

Given the strength of the original marks, the intention to evoke the original marks by using the distorted design established a likelihood of confusion, especially since the original brand occasionally sold special forms of the shoe. Although it might be difficult to actually wear the shoe, enjoining court's determination to the contrary worthy of deference. No clear error in determination that the alleged infringement was of lower quality, but the court erred in holding that legally this worked in the favor of the party claiming infringement.

No abuse of discretion in ordering escrow of gross revenues, as party seeking injunction sought an accounting, and a damages award would include costs and fees. No error in not requiring bond from party seeking injunction, as non-movant didn't request it.

Vans, Inc. v. MSCHF Product Studio, Inc.

Eighth Circuit: Bruce Munro v. Lucy Activewear, Inc.

Product's name served as a source-identifying device for trademark claim, as the plaintiff is the person who produces things of this name.

Light-based art installation is protected by copyright, not trademark.

No error in denial of leave to amend.

http://media.ca8.uscourts.gov/opndir/18/08/164483P.pdf

Federal Circuit: Royal Crown Company, Inc. v. The Coca-Cola Company, Inc.

A mark is generic if the public would understand that it referred to a key aspect of the genus, leading it to believe the mark is a generic term.  This can be established from any competent source.

The inquiry into distinctiveness becomes more stringent as the mark grows more specific.

Association of the mark with the genus is not necessarily proof of the generic nature of the mark.

Sixth Circuit: Sazerac Brands, LLC v. Peristyle, LLC

Where a company acquires a historic manufacturing site, a plaintiff claiming infringement of the trademarked name must, to state  claim, establish that the mark associated with the site was not used merely in a good-faith descriptive or geographical sense.

(Though it says that unfair use is part of the necessary claim, the interlocutory order here affects a partial summary judgment.)

http://www.opn.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf/18a0113p-06.pdf

Ninth Circuit: Moldix-Metric Inc. v. McKeon Products Inc.


Whether the color of a product is protectable trade dress or a functional aspect of design is a question for the finder of fact, who must consider the functionality of alternative colors.

http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2018/06/05/16-55548.pdf

Ninth Circuit: JL BEVERAGE CO V. JIM BEAM BRANDS CO.


FRCP, Trademarks


Error to issue summary judgement referencing only the denial of a preliminary injunction, as the considerations are distinct.

Sufficient indicia of confusion and foreknowledge to create a genuine issue of material fact as to consumer confusion.

JL BEVERAGE CO V. JIM BEAM BRANDS CO.

Federal Circuit: OAKVILLE HILLS CELLAR, INC v. GEORGALLIS HOLDINGS, LLC


Trademark


Similarly spelled unfamiliar marks are sufficiently different.

OAKVILLE HILLS CELLAR, INC v. GEORGALLIS HOLDINGS, LLC

Second Circuit: MPC Franchise, LLC v. Tarntino

Trademarks

The requisite level for scienter under the Lanham Act for fraudulent patent applications is actual knowledge of a competitor's use of the mark.

MPC Franchise, LLC v. Tarntino

Sixth Circuit: LFP IP, LLC v. Hustler Cincinnati, Inc.

Injunctions

No clear error in court holding that injunction protecting mark derived from a surname owned by one sibling to the exclusion of others can be modified to include related products.

http://www.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf/16a0010p-06.pdf

Second Circuit: Fed. Treasury Enter. Sojuzplodoimport v. Spirits Int’l B.V.

Comity, International Law, Trademark, Vodka.

When a foreign sovereign holds that an earlier assignment of trademark rights was ineffective, for purposes of standing, U.S. courts must defer on grounds of comity from questioning the reassignment of rights, although the subsequent questions on the merits of each assignment within its jurisdiction may be decided.

For purposes of the act of state doctrine, a state's decision on the ownership of a U.S. trademark may be considerwd as occurring within its own territory.

There is very likely no commercial exception to the Act of State doctrine.  (!)

The assignment of rights of ownership of a trademark is a governmental, not commercial, act.

Prior dismissal of trademark claim does not bar present claim under res judicata, as dismissal for statutory standing is a curable defect.

As prior dismissal was voluntary, presumption of laches arises on non-Lanham claims.

http://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/decisions/isysquery/2b020799-9c35-4029-be16-860e741e9114/1/doc/14-4721_opn.pdf#xml=http://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/decisions/isysquery/2b020799-9c35-4029-be16-860e741e9114/1/hilite/




Ninth Circuit: Adobe Systems v. Joshua Christenson

IP - Copyright & Trademark

Where a first sale defense to copyright infringement is argued, the party asserting the defense has the burden to prove the sale, but the party claiming infringement has the burden to prove that the apparent sale was actually a license.

General testimony and generic licensing templates do not suffice for proof that a specific transaction was a license.

An assertion that goods were sold under the correct mark, but without the consent of the owner of the mark speaks to unfair competition, not infringement.

https://d3bsvxk93brmko.cloudfront.net/datastore/opinions/2015/12/30/12-17371.pdf

Federal Circuit: Personalized Media v. Rovi Guides

Trademarks - Must Read.

En Banc.

Lanham Act provision barring registration of disparaging marks TKO'd by First Amendment under both strict and intermediate scrutiny.

Concurrence: Also void for vagueness.

C/D: Constitutional as to commercial speech, unconstitutional as to political speech.  [NB case at bar is an Asian-American band wanting to trademark the name "The Slants".]

Dissent: Nope

Other Dissent: Nope.

110 Pages.

http://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/opinions-orders/14-1203.Opinion.12-18-2015.1.PDF