Category Archives: Uncategorized

Second Circuit rejects falsity by necessary implication claim for UL certification

Posted on June 13, 2018 by rtushnet

Board-Tech Electronic Co. v. Eaton Corporation, Cooper Wiring Devices, Inc., — Fed.Appx. —-, 2018 WL 2901336, No. 17-3829-cv (2d Cir. Jun. 11, 2018) Board-Tech and Eaton compete in the market for decorative light switches. Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is an independent … Continue reading →

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Right of Publicity, Litigating the Claims

Posted on June 4, 2018 by rtushnet

Litigating the Claims Rick Kurnit: told the story of litigating the White case, in which the author of the panel opinion didn’t know what a letter-turner was. Had to go to trial with a jury, all of which regularly watched … Continue reading →

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Right of Publicity panel, Abrams Institute for Freedom of Expression

Posted on June 4, 2018 by rtushnet

From Yale Law School’s Abrams Institute for Freedom of Expression Commercial Speech and the First Amendment: Does the Right of Publicity Transcend Commercial Speech? Jennifer Rothman: Right of Publicity? Right of Privacy? Rothman gave a keynote summarizing highlights of her … Continue reading →

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isn’t it good? mahogany wood isn’t always mahogany

Posted on June 4, 2018 by rtushnet

Golden v. Home Depot, U.S.A, Inc., 2018 WL 2441580, No. 18-cv-00033-LJO-JLT (E.D. Cal. May 31, 2018) According to the complaint, authentic mahogany is prized for its beauty, durability, color, and ease of use in woodworking. It has a reddish-brown color, … Continue reading →

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5th Circuit requires use as a mark, but finds Krusty Krab restaurant in SpongeBob qualifies

Posted on May 24, 2018 by rtushnet

Viacom Int’l, Inc. v. IJR Capital Investments, L.L.C., No. 17-20334 (5th Cir. May 22, 2018) The Fifth Circuit here adopts a “use as a mark” requirement, though not a very vigorous one, indicating once again that the concept is too … Continue reading →

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Is this “diet” soda script too close to Diet Coke’s?

Posted on May 16, 2018 by rtushnet

I have to admit, I might expect it to be a Coca-Cola product.  What’s more, it’s made in the US, not Brazil, and seems to be a copy of Guarana Antarctica, a Brazilian beverage. from Blogger https://ift.tt/2L3o55M

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But in that sleep what dreams of liability may come?

Posted on May 16, 2018 by rtushnet

When you sue a competitor for false advertising, be prepared to get sued back.  In this pair of opinions, most of the parties’ claims against each other survived, paving the way for a messy trial. GhostBed, Inc. v. Casper Sleep, Inc., … Continue reading →

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TM exam question: the right of publicity v. comparative advertising

Posted on May 8, 2018 by rtushnet

What if Coco Chanel had been the plaintiff in Smith v. Chanel?  This question made me very happy, and I got a bunch of interesting answers on my final: Kim Kardashian is famous for being famous. She is a highly … Continue reading →

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exercise company affiliation and ad revenue don’t make diet review into commercial speech

Posted on May 8, 2018 by rtushnet

GOLO, Inc. v. HighYa, LLC, 2018 WL 2086733, No. 17-2714 (E.D. Pa. May 4, 2018) The court here declines to apply the Lanham Act to “companies that generate income through websites that review the products of others, without selling any … Continue reading →

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Content Moderation at Scale, 2/2

Posted on May 7, 2018 by rtushnet

You Make the Call: Audience Interactive (with a trigger warning for content requiring moderation) Emma Llanso, Center for Democracy & Technology & Mike Masnick, Techdirt Hypo: “Grand Wizard Smith,” w/user photo of a person in a KKK hood, posts a … Continue reading →

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