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Indiana Intellectual Property Blog

~ Trademark and Copyright Law Updates in Indiana

Indiana Intellectual Property Blog

Tag Archives: Trade Dress Infringement

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

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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.

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Shoe retailer Shoe Carnival sues two counterfeit websites

24 Friday Nov 2017

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

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Common Law Trademark Infringement, Common Law Unfair Competition, Matthew P. Brookman, Richard L. Young, Trade Dress Infringement, Trademark Infringement, Unfair Competition

Shoe retailer Shoe Carnival brings this lawsuit against the owners of two domains, daretodreamwebdesign.com and afordrunning.com, which appear to be counterfeit Shoe Carnival websites.

I used to love shopping at Shoe Carnival. I remember the frequent sale announcements over the intercom and the booth for catching blowing cash.

SCLC, Inc. v. Kettering et al

Court Case Number: 3:17-cv-00193-RLY-MPB
File Date: November 22, 2017
Plaintiff: SCLC, Inc.
Plaintiff Counsel: Keith E. Rounder, Gary K. Price of Terrell, Baugh, Salmon & Born, LLP
Defendant: Marie Kettering, Lanny Tyndall
Cause: Trade Dress Infringement, Unfair Competition, Trademark Infringement, Common Law Trademark Infringement, Common Law Unfair Competition
Court: Southern District of Indiana
Judge: Richard L. Young
Referred To: Matthew P. Brookman

Complaint: 

View this document on Scribd

Update 11/30/2017: 

Shoe Carnival has requested a Temporary Restraining Order for the purpose of ordering search engines to remove the offending websites.

View this document on Scribd

Counterfeit gages result in trade dress, trademark litigation

17 Thursday Aug 2017

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

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Common Law Unfair Competition, False and Misleading Representations, False Designation of Origin, Federal Trademark Infringement, Federal Unfair Competition, Jr., Michael G. Gotsch, Robert L. Miller, Sr., Trade Dress Infringement

The Plaintiff, Dwyer Instruments, is a manufacturer of industrial gages and controls headquartered in Michigan City. Plaintiff has used the registered trademark MAGNEHELIC since 1949.

The Defendants, a California manufacturer and Wal-Mart.com which lists the product, are accused of selling counterfeit gages with identical trade dress tp Plaintiff’s gages and a confusingly similar trademark, MAGRFHELIC.

Dwyer Instruments Inc v. Wal-Mart.com USA, LLC et al.

Court Case Number: 3:17-cv-00636-RLM-MGG
File Date: Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Plaintiff: Dwyer Instruments, Inc.
Plaintiff Counsel: Peter J. Shakula of Wood Phillips
Defendant: Wal-Mart.com USA, LLC, Tasharina Corp.
Cause: Federal Trademark Infringement, Trade Dress Infringement, Federal Unfair Competition, False Designation of Origin, False and Misleading Representations, Common Law Unfair Competition
Court: Northern District of Indiana
Judge: Robert L. Miller, Jr.
Referred To: Michael G. Gotsch, Sr.

Complaint: 

View this document on Scribd

GNARLY HEAD wine vs. GNARLY GROVE hard cider…are you confused?

02 Wednesday Nov 2016

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

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Common Law Unfair Competition, Denise K. LaRue, False Designation of Origin, Tanya Walton Pratt, Trade Dress Infringement, Trademark Infringement

Plaintiff Gnarly Head, a California winery, asserts that Columbus, Indiana’s Simmons Winery has adopted a confusingly similar trademark and trade dress with their new line of Gnarly Grove hard cider.

I’ll leave the question of confusion for you. What I’d really like to know is who is mixing wine and hard cider??? Tasty?

screen-shot-2016-11-02-at-10-31-06-am

screen-shot-2016-11-02-at-10-22-45-am

Delicato Vineyards v. Gnarly Grove Cider Co.

Court Case Number: 1:16-cv-02932-TWP-DKL
File Date: Friday, October 28, 2016
Plaintiff: Delicato Vineyards
Plaintiff Counsel: Jonathan G. Polak, Cristina A. Costa of Taft, Stettinius & Hollister, LLP
Defendant: Gnarly Grove Cider Co.
Cause: Trademark Infringement, Trade Dress Infringement, False Designation of Origin, Common Law Unfair Competition
Court: Southern District of Indiana
Judge: Tanya Walton Pratt
Referred To: Denise K. LaRue

Complaint:

View this document on Scribd

ZIG-ZAG looks to smoke out counterfeiters in Indiana

18 Thursday Aug 2016

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

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Common Law Trademark Infringement, Common Law Unfair Competition, Counterfeiting, False Designation of Origin, Federal Copyright Infringement, Federal Trademark Infringement, Philip P. Simon, Susan L. Collins, Trade Dress Infringement

This is an anti-counterfeiting action against an extensive list of defendants who allegedly manufacture, import and sell counterfeit versions of Plaintiff’s ZIG-ZAG cigarette papers in Indiana.

As expected, the counterfeit products are “inferior, cheaper versions sold without any known quality control or authorization.”

Stopping counterfeiters is a difficult task and, as seen here, must often be done on a state-by-state basis.

Screen Shot 2016-08-24 at 7.02.35 AM

North Atlantic Operating Company, Inc. et al v. KPC Distributor Inc. et al

Court Case Number: 1:16-cv-00307-PPS-SLC
File Date: Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Plaintiff:
North Atlantic Operating Company, Inc.; National Tobacco Company, L.P.
Plaintiff Counsel:
 Gregory W. Pottorff, Adam Arceneaux of Ice Miller
Defendant: KPC Distributor Inc. et al.
Cause: Federal Trademark Infringement, False Designation of Origin, Trade Dress Infringement, Federal Copyright Infringement, Common Law Unfair Competition, Common Law Trademark Infringement
Court:
 Northern District of Indiana
Judge: 
Philip P. Simon
Referred To: Susan L. Collins

Complaint:

View this document on Scribd
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