Tags
False Designation, Federal Trademark Infringement, Matthew P. Brookman, Richard L. Young, State Unfair Competition, Unfair Competition
Plaintiff is the owner of a federal trademark registration for FREEDOM HERITAGE MUSEUM, registered on April 19, 2016. He first used the mark in 2012 in connection with a military history museum of which he was the founding president and a board member.
Plaintiff left the museum in October 2016 and notified the museum that it could no longer use the trademark. He has begun promoting a new Evansville museum with the same name.
This case serves as a good reminder for small businesses and non-profits to own their own trademarks, rather than registering them in the name of an owner or board member.
Litov v. Freedom Heritage Museum
Court Case Number: 3:16-cv-00241-RLY-MPB
File Date: Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Plaintiff: Richard Litov
Plaintiff Counsel: Keith E. Rounder, Gary K. Price of Terrell, Baugh, Salmon & Born, LLP
Defendant: Freedom Heritage Museum, Inc.
Cause: Federal Trademark Infringement, Unfair Competition, False Designation, State Unfair Competition
Court: Southern District of Indiana
Judge: Richard L. Young
Referred To: Matthew P. Brookman
Complaint:
Indiana Intellectual Property Blog 