False Designation of Origin

October 2, 2015

Indiana Trademark Litigation: Indigo Vapor Enterprises Sues Indigo Vapor Company

South Bend, Indiana – Indigo Vapor Enterprises LLC of South Bend, Indiana commenced intellectual property litigation against Indigo Vapor Company, LLC, Robert Lee Martin and Charles Nandier of Tucson, Arizona.

Indigo Vapor Enterprises is in the business of selling “vaping” and e-cigarette materials across the United States and throughout the world. It alleges that Defendant sells similar goods in the same marketplace.

Plaintiff contends that Defendants infringed its trademarks, consisting of a stylized INDIGO VAPOR trademark, Registration No. 4,790,247, and a second trademark for INDIGO VAPOR, Registration No. 4,790,244 by using the Indigo Vapor Enterprises name and those trademarks to promote Defendants’ competing products. These accused uses include the operation of a website at www.indigovaporcompany.com. Both trademarks have been filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Plaintiff alleges trademark infringement, dilution and false designation of origin under the Lanham Act. It also asserts cybersquatting under the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (“ACPA”) and trademark infringement and unfair competition under the common law of Indiana and other states.

In this lawsuit, filed by Indiana trademark attorneys for Indigo Vapor Enterprises, the following causes of action are listed:

• Count I – Federal Trademark Infringement – Lanham Act (15 U.S.C. § 1114)
• Count II – Federal Unfair Competition – Lanham Act (15 U.S.C. § 1125(a))
• Count III – False Designation of Origin – Lanham Act (15 U.S.C. § 1125(a)(1)(B))
• Count IV – Federal Trademark Dilution – Lanham Act (15 U.S.C. § 1125(c))
• Count V – Federal Cybersquatting – ACPA and Lanham Act (15 U.S.C. § 1125(d))
• Count VI – Common Law Trademark Infringement

• Count VII – Common Law Unfair Competition

Plaintiff seeks equitable relief as well as damages, costs and attorneys’ fees.

August 27, 2015

Indiana Trademark Litigation: New Zealand Stroller Company Sued for Use of Navigator Trademark

By Overhauser Law Offices, LLC

Indianapolis, Indiana – Indiana trademark attorneys for Baby Trend, Inc. of California filed an intellectual property lawsuit in the Southern District of Indiana alleging trademark infringement. The company claims that Phil and Teds Most Excellent Buggy Company Limited (“Phil and Teds”), a New Zealand-based enterprise, infringed U.S. Trademark Registration No. 4,514,646, which has been registered by Baby Trend in the U.S. Trademark Office.

Plaintiff Baby Trend is in the business of designing, manufacturing and marketing juvenile products. It claims that it has made extensive use of the mark NAVIGATOR in connection with its strollers and related products for over 15 years.

Baby Trend has sued Defendant Phil & Teds contending that Defendant uses a mark that infringes Baby Trend’s NAVIGATOR trademark in connection with its stroller and stroller-related goods. This use is alleged to have taken place online at Phil & Teds’ online marketplace, www.philandteds.com, as well as on third-party websites that offer Defendant Phil & Teds’ stroller products, such as Toys R Us/Babies R Us and the BuyBuyBaby website. Baby Trend further states that products bearing an infringing NAVIGATOR mark are also sold in brick-and-mortar stores, directly by Phil & Teds and/or through others. According to Baby Trend, offers for the sale of products bearing an infringing mark have taken place in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The complaint states that Baby Trend asked Phil & Teds “at least as early as June 30, 2015” to discontinue use of the NAVIGATOR mark but that Phil & Teds refused. The complaint subsequently contends that Phil & Teds’ conduct was done willfully, intentionally, knowingly, and in reckless disregard of the consequences to Baby Trend.

In this federal intellectual property litigation, Indiana trademark lawyers for Baby Trend make the following claims:

• Count I: Federal Trademark Infringement 15 U.S.C. § 1114
• Count II: Federal Unfair Competition and False Designation of Origin 15 .S.C. [sic] § 1125(a)

• Count III: Common Law Unfair Competition and Trademark Infringement

Baby Trend seeks preliminary and permanent injunctive relief; a declaration that Phil & Teds infringed Baby Trend’s rights in its intellectual property in a deliberate, willful, and/or reckless manner; damages, including treble damages; and costs, litigation expenses and attorneys’ fees.

July 24, 2015

Seventh Circuit Trademark Law: WD-40 Did Not Infringe “Inhibitor” Trademark

By Overhauser Law Offices, LLC

Chicago, Illinois – The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirmed the

ruling of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Western Division in the matter of Sorenson v. WD-40 Company, holding that WD-40’s use of “inhibitor” and a crosshair graphic on its product labels did not constitute trademark infringement.

Plaintiff Jeffrey Sorensen founded and is the CEO of a company that produces a line of rust-inhibiting products, which were first sold in 1997. These products contain a substance called volatile corrosion inhibitor (“VCI”). Sorenson owns a federally registered trademark – THE INHIBITOR – for this line of products. He also claims common-law trademark rights to an orange-and-black crosshair design mark that is associated with these products.

June 23, 2015

Indiana Trademark Litigation: Weekends Only, Inc. Sues Weekends Only Clearance Outlet

By Overhauser Law Offices, LLC

Fort Wayne, Indiana – An Indiana trademark lawyer for Weekends Only, Inc. of St. Louis, Missouri filed a trademark infringement lawsuit in the Northern District of Indiana alleging that AK Distribution LLC and KASH Subsidiaries, Inc. of Fort Wayne, Indiana, one or both of which does business as “Weekends Only Furniture & Mattress Clearance Outlet,” infringed the trademarks WEEKENDS ONLY and WEEKENDS ONLY FURNITURE OUTLET, U.S. Registration Numbers 2,669,149; 2,697,959; 2,834,336; and 2,891,146, which have been registered by the U.S. Trademark Office.

Plaintiff Weekends Only, Inc. operates business establishments in Indiana and Missouri. It contends that it owns and has used various trademarks, currently registered by the U.S. Trademark Office, that include the words “Weekends Only” since approximately 1997. These trademarks have been registered in Class 35 for “Retail store services featuring furniture.”

In this federal lawsuit, Plaintiff alleges that Defendants AK Distribution LLC and KASH Subsidiaries, Inc. have used and continue to use confusingly similar versions of the WEEKENDS ONLY and WEEKENDS ONLY FURNITURE OUTLET trademarks. In so doing, states Plaintiff, Defendants have committed trademark infringement under federal and state law, unfair competition under the state law of Indiana, false designation of origin, injury to business reputation and/or trademarks, common law unfair competition.

In the complaint, filed by an Indiana trademark attorney for Plaintiff, the following claims are alleged:

• Count I: Infringement of Federally-Registered Trademark
• Count II: Infringement of Common Law Rights in Trademarks
• Count III: Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices in Violation of Indiana Code § 24-5-0.5-1 et seq.
• Count IV: False Designation of Origin Under 15 U.S.C. § 1125(a)
• Count V: Common Law Unfair Competition
• Count VI: Motion for Permanent Injunctive Relief

Plaintiff asks the court for injunctive relief and damages.

June 19, 2015

Indiana Trademark Litigation: ArcelorMittal Sues Arillotta et al. for Tarnishment, Deception and Forgery

By Overhauser Law Offices, LLC

Hammond, Indiana – Trademark attorneys for ArcelorMittal USA LLC of Chicago, Illinois sued alleging violations of intellectual property rights and other rights. The lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of Indiana, alleges that Albert Arillotta, Global Demolition and Recycling, LLC, NMC Metals Corporation, and Arillotta Enterprises, LLC, all of Swampscott, Massachusetts, engaged in false designation of origin and false endorsement; dilution by blurring and tarnishment; deception; forgery; and deceptive trade practices.

ArcelorMittal is a producer and supplier of steel products. It owns and operates a steelmaking facility in Burns Harbor, Indiana. ArcelorMittal claims rights in federal trademark registrations to “ArcelorMittal” (Reg. Nos. 3908649 and 3643643) and “Mittal” (Reg. No. 4686413).

In 2012, Plaintiff ArcelorMittal solicited proposals for the installation of a pig iron casting machine at its Burns Harbor steelmaking facility. Plaintiff indicates that Arillotta, through his company Arillotta Enterprises, Inc., submitted a proposal for the project but that it was rejected. Nonetheless, contends ArcelorMittal, Arillotta subsequently represented to various third parties that “Arcelor Mittal Burns Harbor” and Defendant(s) had, in fact, entered into a contract for such an installation. Plaintiff further claims in its federal lawsuit that Arillotta forged the signature of two individuals, Michael Rippey and Louis Schorsch, listed as officers of ArcelorMittal, on documents related to this false claim.

Plaintiff also indicates in this lawsuit that Arillotta, when later unable to make payments owing on another contract, falsely claimed that ArcelorMittal would wire transfer $338,200.00 to cover an initial payment. When no such payment was forthcoming, because Plaintiff indicates that no such agreement existed, the payee on that contract then began to demand the money directly from ArcelorMittal.

ArcelorMittal contends that, in sum, “Arillotta has forged contracts and purchase orders purporting to represent in excess of ten million dollars ($10,000,00.00) worth of commercial activities between the defendant companies and ArcelorMittal when, in fact, ArcelorMittal has not hired Arillotta or his companies to perform any of the work shown in the forged contracts and purchase orders.”

In its complaint against Arillotta and the other Defendants, trademark lawyers for ArcelorMittal list the following counts:

• Count I: False Designation of Origin and False Endorsement
• Count II: Dilution by Blurring and Tarnishment
• Count III: Deception

• Count IV: Forgery
• Count V: Deceptive Trade Practices

Plaintiff ArcelorMittal asks the court for injunctive relief, money damages, costs and attorneys’ fees.

June 5, 2015

Indiana Trademark and Patent Litigation: Simpson Sues Two Indiana Individuals Alleging Patent Infringement and Counterfeiting

By Overhauser Law Offices, LLC

Hammond, Indiana – Trademark and patent attorneys for Simpson Performance Products, Inc. of Mooresville, North Carolina (“Simpson”) and SFI Foundation, Inc. of Poway, California (“SFI”) commenced trademark litigation in the Western District of North Carolina alleging that Robert Wagoner of North Judson, Indiana and Derek Randall Cathcart of Valparaiso, Indiana infringed the SIMPSON® family of trademarks, some of which have been registered by the U.S. Trademark Office. The case was transferred to the Northern District of Indiana. Among the trademarks at issue are U.S. Trademark Registration Nos. 4,117,821; 1,243,427; 3,026,333; 3,026,334; and 3,050,920. Also at issue are U.S. Patent Nos. 6,931,669 and 8,272,074.

Plaintiff Simpson is a manufacturer of automotive and motorsports specialty/performance products, including head and neck restraints for competitive racing. The Simpson brand of automotive and motorsports products has existed 1959. Plaintiff SFI was established to develop and administer minimum performance standards for the automotive aftermarket and motorsports industries, including standards for specialty/performance racing equipment.

Simpson offers for sale the SIMPSON® Hybrid PRO Rage™ head and neck restraint. Simpson indicates that this product is one of the few such devices to be certified under a special classification, SFI SPEC 38.1, for use in NASCAR competitions.

Defendants Wagoner and Carthcart have been accused of engaging in the business of providing specialty/performance racing equipment, including head and neck restraints that are counterfeit versions of Simpson products. Plaintiffs contend that Wagoner is offering counterfeit head and neck restraints through ebay.com. Plaintiffs allege that Cathcart offers counterfeit head and neck restraints via the website racingjunk.com.

These restraints, Plaintiffs contend, bear trademarks owned by Simpson, including the SIMPSON® federally registered trademark as well as the HUTCHENS Hybrid PRO™ and Hybrid PRO™ common law trademarks.

The accused products also allegedly bear a label that falsely states, “This product designed & manufactured by Safety Solutions, Inc. PATENT NO.: 6931669; other patents pending.” According to Plaintiffs, the alleged counterfeiting activities of Defendants also constitute patent infringement.

In this lawsuit, filed by patent and trademark lawyers for Plaintiffs, the following causes of action are listed:

• Trademark Infringement
• Unfair Competition under 15 U.S.C. § 1125(a); False Designation of Origin; False or Misleading Advertising
• Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices under N.C. [North Carolina] Gen. Stat. § 75-1.1
• Patent Infringment [sic]

• Common Law Fraud

Plaintiffs ask for a finding in their favor on each of the counts alleged, including a finding that the conduct was knowing and willful, and entry against each Defendant jointly and severally. Plaintiffs seek costs, attorneys’ fees and damages, including enhanced damages, as well as injunctive relief.

This federal trademark complaint was initially filed in the Western District of North Carolina in February 2015. In May 2015, District Judge Richard Voorhees ordered it to be transferred to the Northern District of Indiana, finding that the North Carolina court lacked personal jurisdiction over Defendants.

May 22, 2015

Indiana Trademark Litigation: Hard Rock Hotel Sues Alleging Infringement of Trademarked “Rehab” Pool Party

By Overhauser Law Offices, LLC

Indianapolis, Indiana – Indiana trademark attorneys for HRHH Hotel/Casino, LLC and HRHH IP, LLC, both of Las Vegas, Nevada (collectively, “HRHH”), commenced a trademark lawsuit in the Southern District of Indiana alleging that Bella Vita, LLC, Henri B. Najem, Jr. and 10 unknown defendants, all of Indiana, infringed various trademarks belonging to HRHH.

The HRHH entities together claim ownership to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas located in Las Vegas, Nevada, along with certain intellectual property rights used in connection with that establishment.

HRHH contends that it created a daytime pool party held at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas known as the “Rehab Pool Party” or simply “Rehab”. The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas indicates that the Rehab Pool Party was first held in 2004 and that the Rehab Pool Party is still being held regularly. HRHH asserts that its Rehab Pool Party has become famous and that it has licensed the REHAB marks to third parties for clothing and other merchandise.

Bella Vita, an Indianapolis provider of restaurant, bar and related entertainment services, has been accused of organizing and hosting weekly pool parties that are confusingly marketed as “Rehab+ Sundays”.

This federal lawsuit has brought under trademark and anti-dilution laws of the United States, 15 U.S.C. § 1051, et seq., the trademark laws of the State of Indiana, Ind. Code § 24-2-1, and under the statutory and common law of unfair competition. The trademarks at issue, all of which have been registered by the U.S. Trademark Office, are as follows:

• Trademark Registration No. 3,873,673 REHAB
• Trademark Registration No. 4,524,097 REHAB
• Trademark Registration No. 4,611,979 REHAB RX
• Trademark Registration No. 3,182,848 Rxehab
• Trademark Registration No. 4,615,774 Rxehab

• Trademark Registration No. 3,170,859 Rxehab

In the complaint against Bella Vita, its managing member Najem and the unnamed Does, Indiana trademark lawyers for Plaintiffs assert the following causes of action:

• False Designation of Origin and Unfair Competition – 15 U.S.C § 1125(a)
• Trademark Infringement – 15 U.S.C. § 1114, Ind. Code § 24-2-1-13, and Common Law
• Dilution – 15 U.S.C. § 1125(c)

• Unfair Competition

Plaintiffs ask the court for a finding that Defendants have engaged in trademark infringement, trademark dilution and unfair competition; for injunctive relief; for a finding that HRHH is the exclusive owner of the REHAB Marks and that such marks are valid and protectable; for an award of damages and profits earned as a result of infringing activity; for punitive damages; and for an award of interest, costs, expenses, and reasonable attorneys’ fees.

May 20, 2015

Indiana Trademark Litigation: Integrity Trade Services Sues Ex-Employees Alleging Conspiracy and Conversion

By Overhauser Law Offices, LLC

South Bend, Indiana – Trademark attorneys for Integrity Trade Services, Inc. (“ITS”) of Frankfort, Illinois filed an intellectual property complaint in the Northern District of Indiana naming as Defendants Integrity Employment Partners, LLC, Integrity Trade Services, LLC, Janice Hernandez, James Hernandez, Michaela Williams, and Jason Reis, all of Indiana, and alleging multiple claims, including trademark infringement, conversion of ITS trade secrets, breach of contract, and tortious interference with business relationships.

ITS is a national staffing services company, doing businesses in multiple states, including Indiana, Florida, Illinois, and Texas. ITS is wholly owned by John E. Cumbee, III. In 2008, ITS acquired all of the operational assets of the Knox, Indiana branch of a staffing company owned by CES America, Inc. ITS also hired most, if not all, of the CES employees then working at the Knox facility, including defendants James and Janice Hernandez.

ITS contends that, since purchasing the Knox facility, it has invested well over $1 million to build the Knox business and the ITS brand as it is related to that facility. It asserts in this federal lawsuit, inter alia, that Defendants conspired to convert ITS’ customers, employees and trade secrets for their own use.

The accused in this case are husband and wife Janice Hernandez and James Hernandez; several family members of Janice Hernandez, including Michaela Williams, and Jason Reis; and two entities apparently owned by the Hernandezes, Integrity Employment Partners, LLC, Integrity Trade Services, LLC.

Defendant James Hernandez (“James”) worked for ITS from the time that ITS acquired the business until April 30, 2015 when he was fired. ITS asserts that James engaged in a conspiracy to solicit away and convert (a) ITS’ office employees at the Knox location, (b) at least the active ITS field employees servicing the Knox location, and (c) customers comprising the Knox-area business. He is accused of attempting to transfer them to Integrity Employment Partners, LLC, an Indiana limited liability company formed to process the Knox business converted from ITS for his benefit and the benefit of the other co-conspirators.

Defendant Janice Hernandez (“Janice”), also became employed by ITS when ITS was acquired from its prior owner. She has been accused of not only being an integral part of the alleged conspiracy but also of being “likely its “‘mastermind.'” Defendant Michaela Williams is Janice’s daughter. Defendant Jason Reis is the ex-son-in-law of James and Janice, having been married to another of Janice’s daughters.

ITS states that, in the last two weeks in April 2015, it discovered various anomalies in the Knox business. These anomalies alerted ITS to the activities that triggered this federal lawsuit. They included a drop off in weekly gross sales, the formation of Integrity Employment Partners, LLC (“IEP”), and checks issued by existing ITS customers made payable to IEP (and not ITS).

Defendants are accused of orchestrating a scheme to confuse ITS’ customers and employees regarding with which staffing businesses using the name “Integrity” – Plaintiff’s firm or Defendants’ firms – those customers and employees were transacting business. In doing so, ITS contends, Defendants attempted with some success to convert ITS’ business assets and relationships for Defendants’ benefit. Allegations of criminal conduct by Defendants were also made. In a 48-page complaint, filed by trademark lawyers for Plaintiff, those claims and others are made:

• Count I: Federal Trademark Infringement
• Count II: Federal Unfair Competition
• Count III: Illinois Deceptive Trade Practices Act
• Count IV: Breach of Fiduciary Duty
• Count V: Breach of Agreement
• Count VI: Tortious Interference with Contract
• Count VII: Tortious Interference with Business Relationships
• Count VIII: Conversion
• Count IX: Computer Fraud and Abuse Act
• Count X: Uniform Trade Secrets Act
• Count XI: Civil Conspiracy
• Count XII: Unjust Enrichment

• Count XIII: Breach of Contract

Plaintiff asks the court for, inter alia, injunctive relief, compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, interest and costs.

February 18, 2015

Indiana Trademark Litigation: Agdia Sues AC Diagnostics Alleging Deceptive Meta-tags and Other Trademark Harm

By Overhauser Law Offices, LLC

South Bend, Indiana – Indiana trademark attorneys for Agdia Inc. of Elkhart, Indiana sued in the Northern District of Indiana alleging that Jun Q. Xia and AC Diagnostics, Inc. of Fayetteville, Arkansas infringed the trademark AGDIA®, which has been registered as United States Trademark Registration No. 1747994.

For over 30 years, Plaintiff Agdia has been in the business of supplying testing, test kits, and associated products and services related to the presence of pathogens or quality factors in agricultural products. Agdia has sued a former employee, Jun Q. Xia, alleging violations of federal and Indiana intellectual property law. AC Diagnostics, a competing enterprise formed by Xia, has also been named as a defendant in this lawsuit.

Agdia contends that Defendants have been unlawfully using its trademarked name. Among the claims is that Xia has hidden the Agdia trademark followed by the phrase “plant diagnostics,” in the meta tags of nearly every product page associated with the AC Diagnostics website. Agdia asserts that, as an example, the “Company Profiles” section of the AC Diagnostics website, available at http://www.acdiainc.com/Comprofil.htm, appears upon first glance to provide nothing more than company information. However, if the page is printed, Agdia states that it reveals more text at the bottom of the document, hidden as white text on a white background.

Agdia also asserts that, through the AC Diagnostics website, Xia is deceptively and unfairly trading on Agdia’s name by hiding that name, followed by the phrase “plant diagnostics,” in the meta tags of nearly every product page associated with that site. Agdia contends that no fewer than 200 separate URLs from the Defendants’ website use the Agdia name deceptively.

Agdia finally cites the name of AC Diagnostic’s webpage as deceptive, claiming that “acdiainc,” which is used within www.acdiainc.com, AC Diagnostic’s website, is just one letter off from Agdia’s legal name, “Agdia Inc.” Defendants are accused of using this web address with the bad faith intent to profit from the Agdia trademark.

In a five-count complaint, filed by Indiana trademark lawyers for Agdia, Defendants are accused of willful, intentional, and unauthorized use of the Agdia trademark that is unlawful under federal law as well as Indiana state law.

Plaintiff Agdia asks the court to enjoin Defendants from using the Agdia mark; to cancel the domain www.acdiainc.com or transfer it to Agdia; for damages, including treble damages; and for attorneys’ fees and costs.

February 13, 2015

Indiana Trademark Law: Consent Judgment Entered Enjoining Chanel’s Salon from Using “Chanel” in Business Name

By Overhauser Law Offices, LLC

Hammond, Indiana – Chanel’s Salon, LLC, d/b/a Chanel’s Salon and Chanel’s Cosmetology Salon, and Chanel Jones, all of Merrillville, Indiana, entered into a consent judgment with Chanel, Inc. of New York, New York to resolve ongoing trademark disputes regarding the trademarked term CHANEL®.

Indiana trademark attorneys for fashion-and-beauty giant Chanel, Inc. had sued in the Northern District of Indiana alleging that Chanel’s Salon, LLC and Chanel Jones had infringed and were infringing the trademark CHANEL, Registration Nos. 302,690; 510,992; 1,263,845; 1,348,842; 1,464,711; 1,559,404; 1,660,866; 3,134,695; and 4,105,557, which have been registered by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

In this Indiana lawsuit, Chanel, Inc. alleged trademark infringement, trademark dilution, unfair competition under federal law as well as trademark infringement and unfair competition under Indiana state law. Chanel, Inc. claimed that its intellectual property rights to its trademark CHANEL had been infringed and diluted by actions of Defendants Chanel’s Salon, an Indiana beauty salon, and its owner Chanel Jones.

Specifically, Defendants were accused of using the trade names CHANEL’S SALON and/or CHANEL’S COSMETOLOGY SALON in connection with their beauty salon without Chanel’s authorization. Chanel, Inc. also claimed that the Defendants were infringing and diluting the CHANEL trademark by, inter alia, offering goods and services that are related to those offered under the CHANEL mark, including cosmetics, beauty consultation services and hair accessories.

This litigation ended pursuant to a consent judgment crafted by the parties and entered by the Indiana district court. As part of the consent judgment, the court issued a permanent injunction prohibiting Jones from using CHANEL to identify her beauty salon or any other enterprises, services or products. Jones was also enjoined from any use of the term CHANEL as part of any keyword, meta tag, page tag, or source code in any business marketing.

The order in this intellectual property litigation was issued by Judge Theresa L. Springmann in the Northern District of Indiana. This case is: Chanel, Inc. v. Chanel’s Salon LLC et al., Case No. 2:14-cv-00304-TLS-PRC.