Category Archives: Northern District of Indiana

Indiana Trademark Litigation Update – Indiana Botanic Gardens v. Vitalmax Vitamins

21 Monday Dec 2015

Posted by in Indiana, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Northern District of Indiana, Trademark

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This trademark dispute involves the ACCU HEAR and ACCU-HEAR trademarks, both used in connection with nutritional supplements.

Screenshot from Complaint

Indiana Botanic Gardens, Inc. v. Almark Products, Inc d/b/a Vitalmax Vitamins

Court Case Number: 2:15-cv-00457-JVB-APR
File Date: Friday, December 18, 2015
Plaintiff: Indiana Botanic Gardens, Inc.
Plaintiff Counsel: David C. Brezina, Boris Umansky of Ladas & Parry LLP
Defendant: Almark Products, Inc d/b/a Vitalmax Vitamins
Cause: Federal Trademark Infringement, Federal Unfair Competition
Court: Northern District of Indiana
Judge: Judge Joseph S. Van Bokkelen
Referred To: Magistrate Judge Andrew P. Rodovich

Complaint:

Indiana Trademark Litigation Update – Horn v. Wilson

10 Tuesday Nov 2015

Posted by in Indiana, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Northern District of Indiana, Trademark

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Plaintiff, the Shipshewana Spice Company, has sold quality spices under the trademark “HAPPY SALT” since 1994. Defendant allegedly operates a website selling knockoff spices.

The product comparison image from the Complaint (full text below) seems like a slam dunk for the Plaintiff. Similar product name, company name (Shipshewana Spice Company vs. Shipshewana Best Spice Company…that’s just mean), packaging, etc. It’s pretty bad.

Screen Shot 2015-11-10 at 9.10.14 AM

One important question is how has Plaintiff let this go on since January 2013? The public health and safety considerations alone of having counterfeit spices on the market would seem to beg for injunctive relief. Waiting too long to take action on a trademark claim can invite concurrent use arguments or, worse, a laches defense.

Stay tuned for updates.

Kevin Horn v. Bob Wilson

Court Case Number: 3:15-cv-00524-JVB-CAN
File Date: Friday, November 6, 2015
Plaintiff: Kevin Horn
Plaintiff Counsel: Michael D. Marston, Garrick T. Lankford of Botkin & Hall LLP
Defendant: Bob Wilson
Cause: Trademark Infringement, Trademark Counterfeiting, False Description, Trademark Dilution, Unfair Competition
Court: Northern District of Indiana
Judge: Judge Joseph S. Van Bokkelen
Referred To: Magistrate Judge Christopher A. Nuechterlein

Complaint:

Indiana Trademark Litigation Update – Indigo Vapor Enterprises v. Indigo Vapor Company

07 Wednesday Oct 2015

Posted by in Indiana, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Northern District of Indiana, Trademark

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Plaintiff, based in South Bend, Indiana,  is an international seller of vaping and e-cigarette materials, including e-juice and holds two U.S. registrations (word mark and stylized) for INDIGO VAPOR. Plaintiff has been using its trademarks since September 2012.

Defendant, an Arizona company, is also selling e-cigarette and vaping products under the mark INDIGO VAPOR from the domain indigovaporcompany.com. It is not clear from the Complaint when Defendant first began using its trademark, although Defendant appears to be the junior user. Reddit communications detailed in the Complaint indicate that Defendant was aware of Plaintiff’s use of the INDIGO VAPOR trademark when selecting its business name.

Indigo Vapor Enterprises LLC v. Indigo Vapor Company LLC et al

Court Case Number: 3:15-cv-00451-RLM-CAN
File Date: Thursday, October 1, 2015
Plaintiff: Indigo Vapor Enterprises LLC
Plaintiff Counsel: John A. Drake of LaDue Curran & Kuehn LLC
Defendant: Indigo Vapor Company LLC, Robert Lee Martin, Charles Nandier
Cause: Federal Trademark Infringement, Federal Unfair Competition, False Designation of Origin, Federal Trademark Dilution, Federal Cybersquatting, Common Law Trademark Infringement, Common Law Unfair Competition
Court: Northern District of Indiana
Judge: Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr.
Referred To: Magistrate Judge Christopher A. Nuechterlein

Pro Se Plaintiff sues The Mind Trust, Indianapolis Public Schools for Copyright Infringement (Again)

14 Monday Sep 2015

Posted by in Copyright, Indiana, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Northern District of Indiana

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At its core, this is a copyright lawsuit involving educational “models.” However, this lawsuit is particularly interesting for several reasons. Here are a few:

  1. It’s a pro se plaintiff, hence a non-traditional intellectual property complaint. While only copyright claims seem at issue, the complaint was filed (again, by a pro se) as a 42 USC 1983 civil rights complaint.
  2. Several large, high-profile defendants. Which will take the lead? The complaint focuses on the “Bridges to Success Education School Model” and the “Phalen Leadership Academies Education School Model.”
  3. The copyright application (included in the complaint) was apparently also a pro se copyright application.
  4. Plaintiff has requested a Cease and Desist Order preventing several schools systems from using specific educational “Models” until the lawsuit is resolved.
  5. This is the first “intellectual property” lawsuit filed in the Northern District of Indiana since June 19. Welcome back!

For now, I’ll leave it to the Defendants’ lawyers to parse all the facts and allegations in the Complaint. Stay tuned for updates.

Angela E. Brooks-Ngwenya v. The Mind Trust et al

Court Case Number: 1:15-cv-00255-JD-SLC
File Date: Friday, September 11, 2015
Plaintiff: Angela E. Brooks-Ngwenya
Plaintiff Counsel: Angela E. Brooks-Ngwenya – Pro Se
Defendant: The Mind Trust, United Way of Central Indiana, Central Indiana Education Alliance, Phalen Leadership Academies, Indianapolis Public Schools
Cause: Copyright Infringement
Court: Northern District of Indiana
Judge: Judge Jon E. DeGuilio
Referred To: Magistrate Judge Susan L. Collins

Complaint:

Prior Court of Appeals Decision:

Indiana Copyright Litigation Update: Baals LLC v. Pro Service Cleaning FW LLC

16 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by in Copyright, Indiana, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Northern District of Indiana

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Baals LLC organizes the Baals Music Festival, a Fort Wayne event occurring annually since 2012. Baals (named for former mayor, Harry Baals) alleges that the defendants, Electric Promotions and Desiar, started organizing similar events in Fort Wayne after seeing the success of the Baals Music Festival. Baals claims that the defendants are using promotional materials that bear striking resemblance to Baals’. They further claim that the defendants are using promotional photographs and videos owned by Baals despite multiple requests to cease.

Baals LLC v. Pro Service Cleaning FW LLC et al

Court Case Number: 1:15-cv-00148-JVB-SLC
File Date: Monday, June 15, 2015
Plaintiff: Baals LLC
Plaintiff Counsel: Daniel D. Bobilya, Brandon J. Almas of Bonahoom & Bobilya LLC
Defendant: Pro Service Cleaning FW LLC, Desiar Eyewear LLC
Cause: Unfair Competition, False Designation of Origin, Copyright Infringement, Unjust Enrichment
Court: Northern District of Indiana
Judge: Judge Joseph S Van Bokkelen
Referred To: Magistrate Judge Susan L Collins