Author Archives: rtushnet

ambiguity in consumer class actions v. the Lanham Act: convergence or divergence?

Posted on July 7, 2025 by rtushnet

Slaten v. Christian Dior Perfumes, LLC, 2025 WL 1840026, No. 23-cv-00409-JSC (N.D. Cal. Jul. 3, 2025) The concept of ambiguity is now on a path to become as entrenched in consumer protection cases as in Lanham Act cases. My thinking … Continue reading →

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Southern discomfort: class certified over malt beverage dressed like Southern Comfort whiskey

Posted on July 4, 2025 by rtushnet

Andrews v. Sazerac Co., 2025 WL 1808797, No. 23-cv-1060 (AS) (S.D.N.Y. Jul. 1, 2025) Plaintiffs alleged that Sazerac deceived consumers by selling a malt beverage that looks like Southern Comfort whiskey but in fact contains only “whiskey flavor.” The court … Continue reading →

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5th Circuit agrees that joint TM owners can’t sue each other under any Lanham Act theory

Posted on July 4, 2025 by rtushnet

Reed v. Marshall, — F.4th —-, 2025 WL 1822673, No. 24-20198 (5th Cir. Jul. 2, 2025) Jade, an R&B, hip hop, and soul vocal group, rose to prominence in the 1990s. Jade disbanded in 1995, when the members began pursuing … Continue reading →

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claim of failure to warn of kratom’s addiction potential not preempted; a “disease claim” involves helping, not causing, disease

Posted on July 3, 2025 by rtushnet

J.J. v. Ashlynn Marketing Gp., 2025 WL 1811854, No. 24-cv-00311-GPC-MSB (S.D. Cal. Jul. 1, 2025) Plaintiffs sued on behalf of putative nationwide, California, and NY classes, alleging that Ashlynn failed to warn consumers of the potentially addictive nature of its … Continue reading →

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plaintiffs don’t have to use full FDA methods for testing nutrients to avoid FDA preemption

Posted on July 2, 2025 by rtushnet

Scheibe v. ProSupps USA, LLC, — F.4th —-, 2025 WL 1730272, No. 23-3300 (9th Cir. Jun. 24, 2025) The FDA specifies testing methods for determining the amount of carbohydrates and calories in a food, as well as a sampling process … Continue reading →

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Scotts loses trade dress claim over green & gold for Miracle-Gro

Posted on July 1, 2025 by rtushnet

Scotts Co. v. Procter & Gamble Co., 2025 WL 1779167, No. 2:24-cv-4199 (S.D. Ohio Jun. 27, 2025) A different Scotts trade dress claim than the one I blogged last year. While it’s hard to get rid of trademark claims on … Continue reading →

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“local” can be literally false when a company is foreign

Posted on July 1, 2025 by rtushnet

El Paso Disposal, LV. v. Ecube Labs Co., 2025 WL 1766310, No. EP-24-CV-97-KC (W.D. Tex. Jun. 26, 2025) Plaintiffs operate waste collection companies that collect trash from customers in Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. Defendant Haulla, a “waste broker” that … Continue reading →

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Visa logo doesn’t represent that cards will be protected against fraud

Posted on June 25, 2025 by rtushnet

Schuman v. Visa U.S.A., Inc., — F.Supp.3d —-, 2025 WL 1731795, No. 1:24-cv-666-GHW (S.D.N.Y. Jun. 23, 2025) This one is interesting both as a fraud warning and as a pronouncement on what reasonable consumers think about the possibility of fraud. … Continue reading →

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“natural” plausibly meant “all natural”

Posted on June 25, 2025 by rtushnet

Cobovic v. Mars Petcare US, Inc., No. 24-CV-7730 (ARR) (JAM), 2025 WL 1726261 (E.D.N.Y. Jun. 20, 2025) Cobovic alleged that Mars’s use of the word “natural” on the label of its pet food products violates New York consumer protection law … Continue reading →

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parties’ marketing to Spanish speakers in SoCal is not meaningful marketing overlap

Posted on June 25, 2025 by rtushnet

Olé Mexican Foods Inc. v. SK Market Inc., 2025 WL 1717646, No. 2:25-cv-01877-WLH-BFM (C.D. Cal. May 13, 2025) Courts have already converged on “everybody uses the internet to market, so that’s not a significant overlap.” This is the first decision … Continue reading →

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