Category Archives: Trademark

Indiana Botanic Gardens files lawsuit to protect EUCAMINT trademark

01 Wednesday Jun 2016

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

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This trademark dispute between Hobart, Indiana-based Indiana Botanic Gardens and a California defendant involves the use of the trademark EUCAMINT in connection with camphorated ointments. The Plaintiff has used its trademark since 1925.

The Defendant has been using the EUCAMINT mark in connection with a eucalyptus shower mist since as early as 2013.

Camphor used to be made by distilling the bark and wood of the camphor tree. Today, camphor is chemically manufactured from turpentine oil. It is used in products such as Vicks VapoRub. –WebMD

Indiana Botanic Gardens Inc v. Snyder Manufacturing Corporation

Court Case Number: 2:16-cv-00197-JD-PRC
File Date: Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Plaintiff: Indiana Botanic Gardens, Inc.
Plaintiff Counsel: David C. Brezina, Boris Umansky of Ladas & Parry LLP
Defendant: Snyder Manufacturing Corporation d/b/a Eurospa Aromatics d/b/a Eurospa Chemicals
Cause: Federal Trademark Infringement, Federal Unfair Competition, Common Law Trademark Infringement, Common Law Unfair Competition
Court: Northern District of Indiana
Judge: Jon E. DeGuilio
Referred To: Paul R. Cherry

Complaint:

Klipsch sues eBay Seller for Unauthorized Sale of Speakers

04 Wednesday May 2016

Posted by in Branding, Indiana, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Southern District of Indiana, Trademark

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Klipsch, manufacturer of high-end audio speakers, is suing an eBay seller, HumanAudio, for unauthorized sales of its speakers.

In addition to selling “brand new” Klipsch speakers at discounted prices, the defendant is also accused of removing and replacing serial numbers, thus voiding any Klipsch warranty for the unwary end customer. Allowing an unauthorized licensor to continue with discounted sales undermines authorized distributors who must contractually maintain higher prices. Pressure from both authorized distributors and customers left without a warranty essentially forces legal action from Klipsch in this situation.

HumanAudio’s Klipsch speaker sales appear to continue unabated. Stay tuned for updates.

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Klipsch Group, Inc. v. Steve Myers d/b/a HumanAudio

Court Case Number: 1:16-cv-01034-WTL-MPB
File Date: Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Plaintiff: Klipsch Group, Inc.
Plaintiff Counsel: Dean E. McConnell of Indiano & McConnell LLC
Defendant: Steve Myers d/b/a HumanAudio
Cause: Federal Trademark Infringement, Federal Unfair Competition
Court: Southern District of Indiana
Judge: William T. Lawrence
Referred To: Matthew P. Brookman

Complaint:

Race Car Trailer Manufacturer battles RV Maker over EDGE Trademark

04 Wednesday May 2016

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

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Universal Trailer Cargo Group (“UTC”) manufactures and sells race car trailers using the trademarks EDGE PRO and EDGE CLASSIC. They own a registration for THE EDGE in connection with “towage storage trailers.”

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Since 2010, Heartland Recreational Vehicles (“Heartland”) has sold recreational vehicles, namely, fifth wheel toy haulers using the trademark EDGE. (Here’s a video for those who aren’t familiar with toy haulers.)

Heartland has filed a federal application for EDGE in connection with “recreational vehicles, namely fifth wheels; recreational vehicles, namely toy haulers; recreational vehicles, namely travel trailers.”

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UTC subsequently opposed Heartland’s trademark application and threatened trademark litigation against Heartland.

In order to litigate on their home turf and increase the chance of finding a judge who understands the difference between a car trailer and a recreational vehicle, Heartland filed this lawsuit in the Northern District of Indiana (which includes Elkhart, the RV Capital of the World) seeking a declaratory judgment of non-infringement of UTC’s trademarks. Stay tuned for updates.

 

Heartland Recreational Vehicles, LLC v. Universal Trailer Cargo Group, Inc.

Court Case Number: 3:16-cv-00255-TLS-CAN
File Date: Tuesday, May 2, 2016
Plaintiff: Heartland Recreational Vehicles, LLC
Plaintiff Counsel: Ryan M. Fountain
Defendant: Universal Trailer Cargo Group, Inc.
Cause: Declaratory Judgment of Non-Infringement
Court: Northern District of Indiana
Judge: Theresa L. Springmann
Referred To: Christopher A. Nuechterlein

Complaint:

Jasper-based Kimball International files lawsuit to enforce KIMBALL trademark

27 Wednesday Apr 2016

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

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Plaintiff, Kimball International, Inc., has been selling furniture under the KIMBALL trademark since 1970. Plaintiff owns several trademark registrations, including the following:

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According to the Complaint (below), it was recently brought to Plaintiff’s attention that Defendant, a California-based furniture importer and distributor, had also begun selling “KIMBALL” furniture through its own website and retail partners.

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A cease-and-desist letter was sent by Plaintiff on March 29, 2016, apparently to no effect. Stay tuned for updates.

KIMBALL INTERNATIONAL, INC. v. COA, INC.

Court Case Number: 3:2016-cv-00054 840
File Date: Monday, April 25, 2016
Plaintiff: Kimball International, Inc.
Plaintiff Counsel: Louis T. Perry of Faegre Baker Daniels LLP
Defendant: COA, Inc. d/b/a Coaster Company of America
Cause: Federal Trademark Infringement, False Designation of Origin, Contributory Trademark Infringement, Common Law Unfair Competition, Deception, Conversion, Indiana Crime Victim’s Relief Act
Court: Southern District of Indiana
Judge: Richard L. Young
Referred To: Michael P. Brookman

Complaint:

Sign Company sues Former Employee for Trademark Infringement and Unfair Competition

18 Monday Apr 2016

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

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Defendant, a former employee of Plaintiff, is alleged to use have used Plaintiff’s company resources to benefit his own competing business. The Complaint (below) describes in detail (truly…the Complaint goes up to Exhibit JJJ) how Defendant apparently falsely claimed credit for Plaintiff’s past achievements and client relationships.

Stay tuned for updates.

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Landmark Signs Inc v. I C U Outdoor Advertising LLC et al

Court Case Number: 2:16-cv-00128-RLM-JEM
File Date: Friday, April 15, 2016
Plaintiff: Landmark Signs Inc.
Plaintiff Counsel: Cori A. Mathis of Hilbrich Cunningham Dobosz Vinovich & Sandoval, LLC
Defendant: I C U Advertising LLC, Lawrence M. Yurko
Cause: Federal Unfair Competition, Breach of Fiduciary Duty, State Unfair Competition, Tortious Interference with a Business Relationship, Tortious Interference with a Prospective Economic Advantage, Illinois Deceptive Trade Practices, Federal Trademark Infringement, State Trademark Infringement, Illinois Trademark Infringement
Court: Northern District of Indiana
Judge: Robert L. Miller, Jr.
Referred To: John E. Martin

Complaint: