Author Archives: rtushnet

Sixteenth Trademark Scholars’ Roundtable Session 2: part 2

Posted on May 2, 2025 by rtushnet

Mid-point discussants:  Rebecca Tushnet Continuing the theme of offering a series of observations: Picking up on the relevance of 33(b)/referential use. First, for textualists, it may be true that 33(b) indicates that there is no general use as a mark … Continue reading →

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Sixteenth Trademark Scholars’ Roundtable Session 2: Trademark Use as an Element of Infringement Analysis

Posted on May 2, 2025 by rtushnet

Mike Grynberg: SCt opinions since 2008. Courts don’t care about TM law; every now & then a judge does, but keeping the general rule in mind is useful—can’t expect dcts in particular to be able to sit back and explore all … Continue reading →

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Sixteenth Trademark Scholars’ Roundtable Trademark Use 2.0 part 1

Posted on May 2, 2025 by rtushnet

University of Minnesota Law School, May 2-3, 2025 Graeme Dinwoodie Why revisit use? (Reading list for 2008 roundtable; session 1, session 2, session 2 part 2, session 3.) Creates methodological questions that are useful/worthy of exploring. 20 years may have … Continue reading →

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failure to allege incremental materiality dooms false advertising counterclaims

Posted on April 29, 2025 by rtushnet

Intuit Inc. v. HRB Tax Group, Inc., 2025 WL 1168897, No. 5:24-cv-00253-BLF (N.D. Cal. Apr. 22, 2025) Counterclaim-plaintiff (Block) alleged that Intuit engaged in false advertising of its TurboTax services. TurboTax includes three tiers: (1) “Do-It-Yourself;” (2) “Live Assisted;” and … Continue reading →

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7th Circuit allows nationwide injunction under Illinois consumer protection law

Posted on April 28, 2025 by rtushnet

Republic Technol. (NA), LLC v. BBK Tobacco & Foods, LLP, — F.4th —-, 2025 WL 1201401, No. 23-2973, No. 23-3096 (7th Cir. 2025) Republic and BBK (aka HBI) compete in the market for organic hemp rolling papers for cigarettes. Republic … Continue reading →

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trademark infringement accusations are opinion without a final judgment

Posted on April 28, 2025 by rtushnet

Trevari Media, LLC v. Colasse, 758 F.Supp.3d 1175 (C.D. Cal. 2024) Colasse accused Trevari of infringing its trade dress in a “[s]pring-loaded glass-breaking device. Although the trade dress was registered in 2014, when Colasse emailed Trevari alleging infringement in 2021, … Continue reading →

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package claim that required users to double serving size and add ingredient was plausibly misleading despite disclaimer

Posted on April 28, 2025 by rtushnet

Mencia-Montes v. Fit Foods Distrib., Inc., 2025 WL 1185372, No. 24-cv-01768-EKL (N.D. Cal. Mar. 31, 2025) Courts in the 9th Circuit have increasingly held, in consumer protection cases, that an asterisk puts the consumer on notice of important qualifications. But … Continue reading →

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nonprofits’ promotion of “abortion reversal” services was commercial speech

Posted on April 22, 2025 by rtushnet

National Institute of Family and Life Advocates v. Bonta, No. 2:24-CV-08468-HDV-(MARx), 2025 WL 1140450 (C.D. Cal. Mar. 6, 2025) Not sure this one survives appellate review, but we’ll see. NIFLA sued for injunctive relief against California AG Bonta over his … Continue reading →

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“defeat devices” in trucks plausibly deceptive because they rendered vehicles unlawful to drive

Posted on April 21, 2025 by rtushnet

Biederman v. FCA US LLC, — F.Supp.3d —-, 2025 WL 458831, No. 23-cv-06640-JSC (N.D. Cal. Feb. 11, 2025) This is a putative class action over alleged “defeat devices” in diesel engines installed in RAM 2500 and 3500 pick-up trucks. Plaintiffs … Continue reading →

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Washington’s anti-spam law covers any misrepresentations in subject line of commercial email

Posted on April 21, 2025 by rtushnet

In re Brown v. Old Navy, LLC, 2025 WL 1132243, — P.3d —-, No. 102592-1 (Wash. Apr. 17, 2025) Deciding a certified question, the Washington Supreme Court held over dissent that the state’s anti-spam law covers all commercial emails with … Continue reading →

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