Author Archives: rtushnet

individualized smear campaign wasn’t plausibly commercial advertising or promotion

Meredith Lodging LLC v. Vacasa LLC, No. 6:21-cv-326-MC, 2021 WL 2546273 (D. Or. Jun. 21, 2021) The parties compete to manage vacation rental properties located in Oregon. Meredith alleged that Vacasa “has embarked on a smear campaign surgically targeted at … Continue reading

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AAA’s expansion to home security derailed by trademark

AAA Alarm & Security Inc. v. A3 Smart Home LP, 2021 WL 3857417, No. CV-21-00321-PHX-GMS (D. Ariz. Aug. 30, 2021) Another expansion case, like the ones Uber has had. AAA Alarm began in 1985, serving over 8000 customers across Arizona … Continue reading

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9th Circuit: desire to purchase properly labeled product is too abstract for injunctive relief standing

In re Coca-Cola Products Marketing & Sales Practices Litig. (No. II), 2021 WL 3878654, No. 20-15742 (9th Cir. Aug. 31, 2021) The Ninth Circuit limits its injunctive relief standing jurisprudence in light of TransUnion. The district court certified a class … Continue reading

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two “kills 99.9% of germs” cases, divergent results

Mier v. CVS Pharmacy, Inc., 2021 WL 1559367, No. SA CV 20-01979-DOC-ADS (C.D. Cal. Mar. 22, 2021) Another pandemic case, this one alleging that CVS’s Advanced Formula Hand Sanitizer misleads consumers by representing that it kills 99.99% of germs. The … Continue reading

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LinkedIn posts weren’t commercial advertising or promotion for pediatric orthopedics

Orthopediatrics Corp. v. Wishbone Medical, Inc., No. 3:20-CV-929 JD, 2021 WL 3887243 (N.D. Ind. Aug. 31, 2021) Plaintiffs “have an interest in a patented computer program that allows medical professionals to more easily determine the correct way to position bones … Continue reading

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Weight Watchers’ pandemic termination of in-person services didn’t violate consumer protection law

Quintanilla v. WW Int’l, Inc., 2021 WL 2077935, No. 20 Civ. 6261 (PAE) (S.D.N.Y. May 24, 2021) Weight Watchers shut down in-person services due to the pandemic. Quintanilla alleged that WW’s cancellation of in-person services, and transition of its workshop … Continue reading

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acrimony among right-wing pundits isn’t commercial advertising or promotion

Corsi v. InfoWars, LLC, 2021 WL 2115272, No. A-20-CV-298-LY (W.D. Tex. May 25, 2021) (R&R) This is a defamation case with a Lanham Act chunk. The parties are various right-wing public figures. Plaintiffs alleged that, in InfoWars videos, Alex Jones … Continue reading

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legal memo to existing customers wasn’t “commercial advertising or promotion”

IHS Global Ltd. v. Trade Data Monitor, LLC, 2021 WL 2134909, No. 2:18-cv-01025-DCN (D.S.C. May 21, 2021) A trade secret/similar case in which IHS owns a database called Global Trade Atlas, which it acquired from the people who founded defendants, … Continue reading

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Peloton’s innovation claims were puffery, but music ads were a problem

Peloton Interactive, Inc. v. Icon Health & Fitness, Inc., 2021 WL 2188219, No. 20-662-RGA (D. Del. May 28, 2021) The parties “compete in the at-home fitness market and offer products that allow consumers to attend live and on-demand fitness classes … Continue reading

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gold buyer’s “up to 90%” payment claims were plausibly misleading

Express Gold Cash, Inc. v. Beyond 79, LLC, 2020 WL 9848431, No. 18-CV-00837 EAW (W.D.N.Y. Dec. 15, 2020) Previous opinion.  The parties compete in the market for buying gold from ordinary people. In 2010, the Today Show—a morning television show … Continue reading

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