The panel said that the district court properly analyzed the strength-of-mark factor as a question of law. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has affirmed a district court judgment that held the strength-of-mark factor strongly favored PepsiCo, Inc. in a trademark infringement lawsuit brought by RISE canned coffee drink maker RiseandShine Corporation…

The plaintiff failed to show a likelihood of success on the merits of its trademark violation suit. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld the district court’s denial of a preliminary injunction against property management company Rampart/Wurth Holding filed by Rampart Resources, a land and real estate services company. The appellate court…

District court erred in dismissing infringement claims for failure to articulate trade dress with precision; unfair competition claims revived as federal claims reinstated. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit vacated and remanded a federal district court’s dismissal of a motorcycle helmet maker’s trade dress infringement and unfair competition claims against H&H Sports…

The Federal Circuit affirmed a Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB or the “Board”) decision to cancel a mark based on priority of use, despite the Appellant’s argument that an declarations to show an assignment of a mark lack foundation and are based on hearsay. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed…

First Circuit affirmed denial of injunction, noting that confusion due to proximity of businesses and both trading off of the same historical legend “is not the type of confusion that trademark owners may prevent.” The First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston has affirmed the denial of injunctive relief sought by the owner of a…

Selling company equity or stock shares does not constitute use of a trademark “in connection with goods or services” under the Lanham Act. In a ruling that clarifies the boundaries of federal trademark protection, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has determined that companies cannot claim trademark infringement when competitors use similar…

The Danish Maritime and Commercial Court (hereinafter “the Court”) decided, on 8 January 2025, to refer international trademark registration MP 1408424 for  for confectionery in Class 30 (hereinafter referred to as “the teddy bear”) back to the Danish Patent and Trademark Office for renewed examination. The registration is owned by RiGO Trading S.A. which is…

Evidence that the defending firm’s ads confused consumers was “de minimis,” and online shoppers were savvy enough to distinguish between ads and organic search results. The sophisticated nature of online consumers, the lack of evidence of actual confusion, and other factors weighed against finding that there was a likelihood of confusion from a personal injury…

Federal Circuit rules Illinois litigation privilege bars claims in long-running trade dress dispute, but upholds some counterclaims. In a nonprecedential ruling that could impact how companies settle intellectual property disputes, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has overturned a $10 million jury verdict against tire manufacturer Toyo Tire Corporation. The court found…

However, the dissenting group’s use of the trademark on its website did not create a likelihood of confusion where the dissenters clearly identified the dispute between themselves and the Libertarian National Committee. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit upheld in part, and denied in part, a district court’s preliminary injunction against the…