Trademark Outline

Trademarks
 
What is a TM?
§         Any distinctive symbol
§         Unless it is functional (only matters when the symbol in issue is distinctive)
§         B/c if it’s not distinctive, it gets no protection
§         If it’s distinctive, the reason we protect is to prevent confusion
§         If we deny protection, confusion will ensue
What is TM use?
§         1127-ordinary course of trade and not made merely to reserve a right in a mark
§         definition resulted from humble when Exxon tried to reserve right in their prior company’s mark, but lost
 
TM Priority
§         Blue Bell Rule
§         1st bona fide use in trade/commerce gets priority
§         from perspective of TM owner
§        control his actions
§        prevent sneaky underhanded practices
§         from perspective of consumer
§        protect consumer expectations
§        along the lines consumers expect to see TM’s
§         Common Law aspects to TM rights
§         Priority date
§         Nature of goods (ex. Pants)
§         Geography-where are you?
§         Statutory priority
§         1057(c) – priority dates
§        intent to use priority provision (nationwide protection)
§         fairly recent reform
§        bona fide use requirement
§        only get priority if you get registration under 1072
§         when regis arises, it dates back to ITU
§         1072 – priority dates
§        registration date priority
§        you get a constructive notice date
§        significance of registration system
§         geographic area changes
§         once registered, you have statutory rights throughout country
§         scenario 1
§        A use —– A ITU —– B use —– A regis
§         B loses everything (he should have checked)
§         Scenario 2
§        A use —– B use and no abandonment —– A file —– A regis
§         Not fair to expect B to have known about A’s use
§         Exception!! 1057(c) priority date does not apply to anyone who used TM before filing
§         No exceptions for 1072
§         A does not get 1057(c) but gets 1072
§         B not restricted as of filing, but as of registration
§         A does not get B’s territory
§         B can continue development and keep it till 1072 date
§         Scenario 3
§        A files ITU —– B uses —– ?registration?
§         Same as 1
§         A has no rights until registration issues and then it dates back
§         What if B sues before registration?
§         Not fair, A filed under revision of TM law intended to make things easier
§         Scenario 4
§        B use —– A use —– A files —– A regis (concurrent use)
§         A not entitled to full TM protection
§         Similar to 1 – A given benefits b/c tried to use system
§         2 and 4
§        what if A sues B after regis?
§         1115(b)(5)-limited area defense
§         requires junior user to have continuous use prior to and after A’s regis
§         11115(b)(5) defense
§         1127-definition of use
 
Federal Registration
§         advantages are national notice and statutory use granted across country despite actual area of use
§         Lanham act
§         §2(a) different? Deceptive
§         3 part Lovey Lamb Test-rejection is more significant thus we require more
§        is it misdescriptive?
§        Will consumers believe the misdescription?
§        Are people likely to buy product b/c they believed misdescription?
§         §2(e)(1)-merely descriptive or deceptively misdescriptive
§         can show 2ndary meaning
§         2 part Furniture Makers Test
§        is it misdescriptive?
§        Will consumers believe the misdescription
§        No 3rd prong b/c it can be overcome w/ 2ndary meaning
§         §2(e)(2)-geographic
§         primarily geographically descriptive ex. Zephyrhills
§         §2(e)(3)-geographic
§         geographically deceptively misdescriptive ex. Arizona Tea
§         §2(f) 2ndary meaning provision
§         doesn’t apply to a, b, c, e3
§         §1052(a) Immoral, Scandalous, Disparaging, etc.
§         3 questions
§         why have these provisions/rules?
§        We don’t want the fed gov stamping approval on something bad/negative
§         What are the rules/legal standards?
§        Harjo-redskins case-cancellation following 1052(a)
§         Ct says
§         Scandalous? No
§         Disparaging? Yes
§         Disrepute/contempt? Yes
§         Therefore, no registration
§         2 options for losing party
§         appeal decision
§         file new action in dist ct
§         different std of review (de novo)
§         What’s next if cancelled?
§         Standards
§         Scandalous/immoral-does a substantial portion of the general public think so?
§         Disparaging and disrepute-does a substantial portion of the group who’s bringing the complaint think so?
§         Can’t overcome any of these w/ 2ndary meaning
 
Functionality
§         A trump card-even if distinctive, can still deny protection if aspect is functional
§         Most often an issue in product design cases
§         Only important when you have distinctiveness
§         Consumer confusion will result and then it will lose distinctiveness if thing is functional
§         Need a good justification for determination of functionality b/c consumer confusion will result-Willing to accept confusion to advance this doctrine
§         2 approaches
§         we don’t want patent like TM law
§