Demand letter claims ‘Bernie is my comrade’ T-shirt is a trademark violation

A T-shirt maker has received a letter claiming its “Bernie is my comrade” merchandise violates trademark and copyright rights of the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign. Daniel McCall’s company Liberty Maniacs is selling the T-shirt and other merchandise, which includes photos of Bernie Sanders and “a rogues’ gallery of Socialist figures…

Apr 19, 2016 8:06 AM CDT

Creator of ‘Walking Dead’ comic book sues restaurant entrepreneur over trademark applications

The creator of the Walking Dead comic book series has sued entrepreneurs who filed trademark applications indicating they plan to open a New Jersey theme restaurant using the same name. Lawyers for Robert Kirkman have filed a brief (PDF) in support of summary judgment, according to an article by the…

Apr 7, 2016 12:12 PM CDT

Will Milano suit settlement kill Trader Joe’s competing brand? No word on how cookies may crumble

News of the settlement of a federal lawsuit over claimed infringement of the iconic Milano cookie brand marketed by Pepperidge Farm leaves unanswered an important question to lovers of baked goods. Does the pact mean that Trader Joe’s will stop marketing its competing Crispy Cookies filled with Belgian chocolate? What…

Mar 30, 2016 3:55 PM CDT

Soccer great Pele sues Samsung for $30M, using same attorney as Michael Jordan

Pele has filed a $30 million lawsuit against Samsung, contending that the electronics manufacturer improperly used a lookalike in an ad for a television set last year that ran in the New York Times. Although the name of the Brazilian soccer great isn’t mentioned, a partial face shot of a…

Mar 29, 2016 4:10 PM CDT

Federal judge tells Skechers to stop selling shoes ‘confusingly similar’ to Adidas

Saying that he himself couldn’t see a difference between the “Stan Smith” white tennis shoe with a green heel patch manufactured by Adidas and a Skechers look-alike from three feet away, a federal judge in Portland, Oregon, has ordered Skechers to stop selling that shoe and two other styles “confusingly…

Feb 19, 2016 4:05 PM CST

Burberry sues Penney over plaid products, faces unrelated customer suit on outlet store price tags

It has been a busy week for Burberry in the American legal system. On Tuesday, the British luxury goods seller known for its trench coats and cashmere scarves sued J.C. Penney Co. in federal court in Manhattan over claimed misappropriation of Burberry’s iconic plaid “check” pattern. Although the pattern has…

Feb 12, 2016 2:45 PM CST

Court rejects effort to trademark shape of KitKat candy bar

If the KitKat name wasn’t printed on the four connected “fingers” of a well-known candy bar, would customers know it was a KitKat without seeing the wrapper? The answer to that question in the United Kingdom is no, according to a Wednesday ruling by the High Court of Justice of…

Jan 21, 2016 11:45 AM CST

Judge refuses to toss graffiti artist’s suit claiming his mural was used on dress worn by Katy Perry

A federal judge in California has refused to dismiss a lawsuit by a graffiti artist who claims the Moschino apparel brand used his work on a dress worn by pop star Katy Perry at an art gala. U.S. District Judge Stephen Wilson ruled for the graffiti artist known as Rime,…

Jan 19, 2016 6:15 AM CST

Yosemite changes names of park sites as a result of trademark dispute

Yosemite National Park is changing the names of several sites within the park as a result of a trademark dispute with a concessionaire that lost its hospitality contract. Among the changes taking place March 1: the Ahwahnee Hotel will become the Majestic Yosemite Hotel, Curry Village will become Half Dome…

Jan 15, 2016 11:42 AM CST

Metallica blames ‘overzealous attorney’ for cease-and-desist letter

Metallica is apologizing and blaming an “overzealous attorney” for a cease-and-desist letter sent to a tribute band. The letter, sent on Sheppard Mullin letterhead, asked the Canadian tribute band Sandman to stop using the name Metallica and to stop using modified versions of the Metallica logo, Rolling Stone and the…

Jan 15, 2016 11:14 AM CST

These plaintiffs argue derogatory words can’t hurt them

Jan 1, 2016 12:40 AM CST

Ban on disparaging trademarks violates First Amendment, Federal Circuit rules in band’s appeal

The en banc U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has struck down a provision of the Lanham Act that denies registration for “disparaging” trademarks. The Federal Circuit ruled in an appeal by Simon Shiao Tam, who wants to trademark the name of his Asian-American rock band, the Slants.…

Dec 23, 2015 9:35 AM CST

University sues pizza maker for borrowing from its name

The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, has sued a local pizza restaurant for calling its cooking classes the Rensselaer Pizza Institute. The suit claims the restaurant, Pizza DaVinci, is using university trademarks in a way that is likely to confuse people who may conclude the pizza maker is…

Dec 21, 2015 8:07 AM CST

Michael Jordan donates ‘multimillion-dollar’ settlement in advertising case to Chicago charities

After winning a $8.9 million jury verdict earlier this year in a federal lawsuit over unauthorized supermarket advertising, basketball legend Michael Jordan has reached a settlement and donated the proceeds to charity. He settled last month for an undisclosed sum both the suit against Dominick’s and related litigation against Jewel-Osco,…

Dec 16, 2015 1:45 PM CST

Rent Is Too Damn High Party is for sale, ‘trademark and all’

The New York political candidate who created the Rent Is Too Damn High Party has announced he is retiring from politics and selling his party, “trademark and all.” The press release by Jimmy McMillan announced “I am out” and referred questions about the sale to his lawyer, the New York…

Dec 11, 2015 6:15 AM CST