Infringement Archives - Trust Tree Legal, P.C.

Infringement

Taco John and Taco Bell Take the High Road so Everyone Can Celebrate TACO TUESDAY

by Kevin Hartley July 21, 2023

Last week, Randy wrote about the “spectrum of trademark distinctiveness” and how generic terms cannot be protected as trademarks. This week, Taco John made news when it agreed to abandon its trademark registration for TACO TUESDAY for restaurant services after a recent challenge by Taco Bell alleging that TACO TUESDAY [...]

Apple iOS 12 Bug: Memoji Trademark Dispute

by Bill Ferrell October 1, 2018

Here in The Tree, we love Apple products. We anxiously await any new updates to the hardware or software. We are also goofballs, so we were very excited to download iOS 12 and use the new Memoji feature. “Memoji” is a portmanteau of “me” and “emoji”. The feature allows you [...]

Weed Spectator sued by Wine Spectator

by Bill Ferrell September 10, 2018

There is no doubt that the marijuana business is a budding industry. Negative public opinions about marijuana have faded and more and more states are legalizing its medical and recreational use. New businesses are seeking the pot of gold at the end of the legal marijuana rainbow by pushing marijuana [...]

Comic Con Trademark: Attorneys’ Fees Are No Laughing Matter

by Bill Ferrell August 27, 2018

It doesn’t happen very often, but a judge has awarded attorneys’ fees in a trademark case. For years now, San Diego Comic Con has been in a dispute with Salt Lake Comic Con over San Diego Comic Con’s COMIC-CON trademark (Back in 2014, resident cosplay expert, furry aficionado, and larping [...]

Trademark Hell: Knockin’ on Heaven Hill’s Door

by Kevin Hartley August 22, 2018

As Trust Tree’s resident bourbon expert* (sorry Bill & G) and Guns N’ Roses fan, I must uncork a post about the trademark dispute between Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc. and Heaven’s Door Spirits, LLC that recently spilled over into a federal lawsuit. Heaven’s Door is named after the famous song [...]

9th Circuit in Empire State of Mind

by Bill Ferrell November 16, 2017

Today, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ended Empire record label’s trademark infringement lawsuit against 20th Century Fox Television over the name of the television show “Empire,” on First Amendment grounds. The record label, Empire Distribution Inc., which reps hip-hop artists like Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg (and is not […]

Humvee sues “Call of Duty” Maker Activision for Trademark Infringment

by Bill Ferrell November 16, 2017

AM General, has sued Activision Blizzard Inc., the maker of the popular video game “Call of Duty” for trademark infringement for using images of its Humvee military vehicles in the game. The Humvee (short for High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles) has been widely used by the US military for years, and is a […]

Sons of Trademarchy

by Bill Ferrell October 27, 2015

It is now an undisputed fact that bikers love trademarks. I have twice written about the intersection between outlaw motorcycle clubs and trademark law. First, I wrote about how many of these clubs own and litigate federally registered trademarks. The following week, I wrote about how the feds are trying to […]

Don’t Play with Fireball

by Bill Ferrell September 29, 2015

If you are from the South and ever leave your house, you’ve heard of Fireball. Fireball is a cinnamon flavored whiskey distilled by Sazerac. In addition to being a great drink to sneak into football games on cool, fall days, it’s also replaced Jägermeister as the go-to drink for your buddy who buys everyone […]

North Coast Brewing Sues Corsair Over Old Rasputin Trademark

by Randy Michels July 17, 2015

The legendary Rasputin is synonymous with a variety of immoral and evil practices. You wouldn’t normally build a brand around a guy known as the “Mad Monk,” but that didn’t stop North Coast Brewing from naming a beer after him or Corsair Artisan Distillery from naming a whiskey after him. North Coast Brewing’s Old Rasputin beer is supposedly […]