07 Monday Dec 2015
Court Case Number: 1:15-cv-01919-TWP-DKL
File Date: Friday, December 4, 2015
Plaintiff: The Brick Shirt House, LLC
Plaintiff Counsel: Andrea Lynn Ciobanu, Alex Maurice Beeman of Ciobanu Law
Defendant: Indiana On Tap, LLC
Cause: Copyright Infringement
Court: Southern District of Indiana
Judge: Judge Tanya Walton Pratt
Referred To: Magistrate Judge Denise K. LaRue
Complaint:
10 Tuesday Nov 2015
Tags
Christopher A. Nuechterlein, False Description, Joseph S. Van Bokkelen, Litigation Update, Trademark Counterfeiting, Trademark Dilution, Trademark Infringement, Unfair Competition
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.
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.
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:
08 Thursday Oct 2015
Tags
Common Law Unfair Competition and Trademark Infringement, Federal Unfair Competition and False Designation of Origin, Litigation Update, Sarah Evans Barker, William G. Hussmann
After 35 years of working for the company bearing his father’s name, son sought to go out on his own. With 35 years of experience in one industry, he of course decided to start a similar company. But could he start a company also bearing his own (and his father’s) last name? Not if the new owner of daddy’s company has anything to say about it.
Trademark and surnames are often problematic. Here’s some basic info to consider as you analyze the Complaint:
Think HARTFIELD?
Court Case Number: 4:15-cv-00143-SEB-WGH
File Date: Monday, October 5, 2015
Plaintiff: Hartfield Company Inc., National Financial Partners Corp.
Plaintiff Counsel: Kendall Millard of Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Defendant: Jeffrey Hatfield, Hartfield Solutions LLC
Cause: Federal Unfair Competition and False Designation of Origin, Common Law Unfair Competition and Trademark Infringement
Court: Southern District of Indiana
Judge: Judge Sarah Evans Barker
Referred To: Magistrate Judge William G. Hussmann, Jr.
Complaint:
07 Wednesday Oct 2015
Tags
Christopher A. Nuechterlein, Common Law Trademark Infringement, Common Law Unfair Competition, False Designation of Origin, Federal Cybersquatting, Federal Trademark Dilution, Federal Trademark Infringement, Federal Unfair Competition, Litigation Update, Robert L. Miller
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.
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
30 Wednesday Sep 2015
Tags
Copyright Infringement, Indiana Trade Secret Violation, Litigation Update, Trade, Unfair Competition, William G. Hussmann
This lawsuit, removed from Vanderburgh Superior Court to the Southern District of Indiana, involves a dispute over a “Driver’s Manual.” Defendant is alleged to have left the employ of Plaintiff and utilized portions of their proprietary driver’s manual with his new employer. Defendant removed the lawsuit to federal court.
Court Case Number: 3:15-cv-00134-RLY-WGH
File Date: Monday, September 28, 2015
Plaintiff: Professional Transportation Inc.
Defendant: Robert E. Warmka
Cause: Indiana Trade Secret Violation, Unfair Competition, Copyright Infringement
Court: Southern District of Indiana
Judge: Judge Richard L. Young
Referred To: Magistrate Judge William G. Hussmann, Jr.
Notice of Removal:
Complaint:
Indiana Intellectual Property Blog 