• Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Disclaimer

Indiana Intellectual Property Blog

~ Trademark and Copyright Law Updates in Indiana

Indiana Intellectual Property Blog

Tag Archives: Breach of Contract

Breach of contract leads to lawsuit over psychotherapy techniques, trademarks

30 Tuesday Jul 2019

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Breach of Contract, Common Law Trademark Infringement, Common Law Unfair Competition, False Advertising, Federal Trademark Infringement, Mark J. Dinsmore, Richard L. Young, Unfair Competition, Unjust Enrichment, Wrongful Interference with a Contractual Relationship, Wrongful Interference with Business Relationships and Prospective Business Advantages

The Plaintiff in this lawsuit, Functional Family Therapy Associates, Inc. is a Seattle, Washington-based organization dedicated to training psychotherapists. Plaintiff utilizes a “Functional Family Therapy” protocol to help troubled youth and their families overcome a variety of behavioral problems. Plaintiff provides services in 33 U.S. states and 10 foreign countries.

The Defendants allegedly operate an entity in Bloomington, Indiana called Functional Family Therapy Associates, in violation of Plaintiff’s registered trademarks. One of the Defendants, Sexton, was previously a member of Plaintiff’s organization. More detailed facts are set forth in the (redacted) complaint below.

This lawsuit arises from a breach of contract and the Defendants’ false advertising, unfair competition, and service mark infringement resulting from Defendants’ unauthorized use of Plaintiff’s registered and common law intellectual property rights in Plaintiff’s unique and original family therapeutic services protocol and Plaintiff’s development, testing, training, and marketing thereof.

An unredacted Complaint was filed under seal pursuant to a confidentiality obligation in an agreement between the parties.

F.F.T., LLC v. Sexton, Ph.D et al

Court Case Number: 1:19-cv-03027-RLY-MJD
File Date: Friday, July 19, 2019
Plaintiff: F.F.T., LLC
Plaintiff Counsel: Holiday W. Banta, T. Earl LeVere, Megan Hedrick of Ice Miller LLP
Defendant: Thomas Sexton, Ph.D., Functional Family Therapy Associates, Inc., Astrid Van Dam
Cause
: Breach of Contract, Wrongful Interference with Business Relationships and Prospective Business Advantages, Wrongful Interference with a Contractual Relationship, Unfair Competition, False Advertising, Federal Trademark Infringement, Common Law Unfair Competition, Common Law Trademark Infringement, Unjust Enrichment
Court: Southern District of Indiana
Judge: Richard L. Young
Referred To: Mark J. Dinsmore

Redacted Complaint:

View this document on Scribd

Counterfeit Bongs dominate the February Indiana IP Litigation Docket

01 Friday Mar 2019

Posted by Kenan Farrell in Copyright, Indiana, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Northern District of Indiana, Southern District of Indiana, Trade Dress, Trademark

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Breach of Contract, Copyright Infringement, Federal False Designation of Origin, Federal Trademark Counterfeiting, Federal Trademark Infringement, Federal Unfair Competition, Integrity of Copyright Management Information, Photography, Richard Bell, Trade Dress Infringement, Trademark Infringement, Unfair Competition

Two photography cases, including one from serial filer Richard Bell, and a breach of franchise agreement lawsuit…other than that, the February Indiana IP litigation docket was totally dominated by filings by RooR International. RooR’s defendants are Indiana smokeshops and their alleged sale of counterfeit bongs.

RooR markets itself as “the premier manufacturer of glass water pipes by emphasizing the brand’s unwavering use of quality materials and focusing on scientific principles which facilitate a superior smoking experience.”

As you can see from the screenshot below, RooR International has gone on a recent filing spree to combat the sale of counterfeit products:

Screen Shot 2019-03-01 at 9.18.39 AM.png

RooR’s defendants, small smoke and vape shops from across Indiana, are accused of Federal Trademark Counterfeiting, Federal Trademark Infringement, Federal False Designation of Origin and Federal Unfair Competition. Heavy stuff.

Sample RooR Complaint

View this document on Scribd

The other non-bong, non-Bell cases involve the breach of a franchise agreement and the unauthorized use of a photograph of a New Year’s Eve fireworks display.

Baskin-Robbins Franchising LLC, BR IP Holder LLC v. Big Scoops, Inc., David M. Glasgow Jr.

View this document on Scribd

Bachner v. USA Halloween Planet Inc.

View this document on Scribd

Carrington College accused of providing Personal Training students with copies of exams in advance

11 Wednesday Jul 2018

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Breach of Contract, Copyright Infringement, Fraud, John E. Martin, Joseph S. Van Bokkelen, Misappropriation of Trade Secrets

Plaintiff National Federal of Professional Trainers, Inc., headquartered in Lafayette, Indiana, brings this action to prevent, and obtain damages for, Defendant Carrington College’s unauthorized copying and distribution of NFPT’s proprietary Certified Personal Trainer (“CPT”) credentialing examinations. Carrington College is a for-profit educational institution headquartered in Sacramento, California.

The Complaint alleges that “Carrington had given students copies of confidential and proprietary NFPT examinations, and then quizzed students on the copied examination questions until students memorized the answers to each specific question.”

Stay tuned for updates.

National Federation of Professional Trainers, Inc. v. Carrington College, Inc.

Court Case Number: 4:18-cv-00047-JVB-JEM
File Date: Monday, July 2, 2018
Plaintiff: National Federal of Professional Trainers, Inc.
Plaintiff Counsel: Anthony E. Dowell, Richard T. McCaulley, Kenley Eaglestone of McCaulley Dowell
Defendant: Carrington College, Inc.
Cause: Copyright Infringement, Misappropriation of Trade Secrets, Breach of Contract, Fraud
Court: Northern District of Indiana
Judge: Joseph S. Van Bokkelen
Referred To: John E. Martin

Complaint:

View this document on Scribd

Copyright lawsuit over movie script removed to Northern District of Indiana

06 Monday Nov 2017

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Breach of Contract, Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, Removal, Unjust Enrichment

This lawsuit was removed from St. Joseph Circuit Court, Indiana, to the Northern District of Indiana, South Bend Division based on copyright preemption.

The Plaintiff alleges that he sent an original script and revisions to Defendant, which they used to create and sell a motion picture.

Jones v. Brioche and Mayo, LLC

Court Case Number: 3:17-cv-00289
File Date: Friday, November 3, 2017
Plaintiff: William Jones
Plaintiff Counsel: Andrew B. Jones, Margaret Marnocha of Jones Law Office LLC
Defendant: Brioche and Mayo, LLC
Cause: Breach of Contract, Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, Unjust Enrichment
Court: Northern District of Indiana
Judge: TBD
Referred To: TBD

Notice of Removal:

View this document on Scribd

Harry’s Chocolate Shop sues University Spirit over unauthorized apparel sales

10 Monday Jul 2017

Posted by Kenan Farrell in Indiana, Intellectual Property, Northern District of Indiana, Trademark

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Andrew P. Rodovich, Breach of Contract, False and Deceptive Labeling, Joseph S. Van Bokkelen, Trademark Infringement and Counterfeiting, Unfair Competition

Harry’s Chocolate Shop was founded in 1919 as the first and only soda fountain near Purdue University. Today it is a popular restaurant/bar, voted one of the best college bars in America.

Harry’s owns the following registered trademarks: GO UGLY EARLY, DRINK ‘EM PRETTY, DRINK ‘EM CUTE, and HOME OF “THE GREAT INDOORSMAN”.

Defendants operate a nearby retail store named University Spirit. The parties previously had a non-exclusive (oral) license agreement for University Spirit to produce and sell apparel bearing Harry’s trademarks. In 2012, the Defendants stopped making royalty payments and Harry’s brings this action seeking payment of royalties owed and an injunction against further sales.

Harry’s Chocolate Shop Incorporated v. Goldden Corporation et al

Court Case Number: 4:17-cv-000570-JVB-APR
File Date: July 6, 2017
Plaintiff: Harry’s Chocolate Shop Incorporated
Plaintiff Counsel: William A. McKenna of Woodard, Emhardt, Moriarty, McNett & Henry LLP
Defendant: Goldden Corporation, Gary E. Edmondson
Cause: Breach of Contract, Trademark Infringement and Counterfeiting, False and Deceptive Labeling, Unfair Competition
Court: Northern District of Indiana
Judge: Joseph S. Van Bokkelen
Referred To: Andrew P. Rodovich

Complaint:

View this document on Scribd
← Older posts

Categories

  • Artists (20)
  • Authors (18)
  • Bloggers (36)
  • Branding (25)
  • Business Law (4)
  • Copyright (249)
  • Dear KLF Legal (4)
  • Defamation (5)
  • Entertainment Law (14)
  • Estate Law (2)
  • Family Law (2)
  • Fashion (4)
  • Federal Initiatives (33)
  • Indiana (459)
  • Indianapolis (41)
  • Intellectual Property (510)
  • Just for Fun (25)
  • KLF Legal (19)
  • Legislation (34)
  • Litigation (449)
  • Musicians (10)
  • Nonprofit (5)
  • Northern District of Indiana (140)
  • Patent (41)
  • Privacy (15)
  • Right of Publicity (8)
  • Social Media (53)
  • Southern District of Indiana (256)
  • Stories from the Week that Was (42)
  • Supreme Court (13)
  • Tech Developments (119)
  • Trade Dress (11)
  • Trade Secret (10)
  • Trademark (265)
  • What I'm Reading (8)

Bloggers Copyright Federal Initiatives Indiana Indianapolis Intellectual Property Legislation Litigation Northern District of Indiana Patent Social Media Southern District of Indiana Stories from the Week that Was Tech Developments Trademark

Blog at WordPress.com.

Cancel