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Articles 511 - 540 of 592

Full-Text Articles in Intellectual Property Law

Unfair Competition - Trade Marks And Trade Names -Nature Of Relief Against The Use Of A Misleading Trade Name Which Has Acquired A Secondary Meaning, Harold M. Street Mar 1940

Unfair Competition - Trade Marks And Trade Names -Nature Of Relief Against The Use Of A Misleading Trade Name Which Has Acquired A Secondary Meaning, Harold M. Street

Michigan Law Review

The petitioner, a Pennsylvania manufacturer of cigars which contained only Pennsylvania tobacco, but which it had branded "Havana Smokers" since 1902, was ordered by the Federal Trade Commission to cease and desist from using the word "Havana" to designate its product. The petitioner claimed that the brand had acquired a secondary meaning and asked the court to modify the order to permit retention of the word "Havana" qualified by the legend: "Notice. These cigars are made in the United States and only of United States tobacco." Held, the name so used might result in misrepresentation and its use must …

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Federal Courts - Appeal And Error - Does A Statute Which Authorizes An Interlocutory Appeal Require Such Appeal?, Michigan Law Review Feb 1940

Federal Courts - Appeal And Error - Does A Statute Which Authorizes An Interlocutory Appeal Require Such Appeal?, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

A bill seeking an injunction and an accounting was filed in a United States district court for alleged infringement by defendant of plaintiff's rights in the words of a song. Defendant's appeal from a decree enjoining further use of the song and directing an accounting for profits was denied, because the appeal had been taken more than thirty days after its entry and so the circuit court of appeals was without jurisdiction. The case proceeded to an accounting in the district court, and a final decree was entered from which defendant appealed again to the circuit court. Held, the …

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Trade Restraints- Equitable Servitude On Chattels - Radio Broadcast Of Electrical Transcriptions, Roy L. Steinheimer Nov 1939

Trade Restraints- Equitable Servitude On Chattels - Radio Broadcast Of Electrical Transcriptions, Roy L. Steinheimer

Michigan Law Review

A popular orchestra leader made certain electrical transcriptions (not records) of unique interpretations of different musical numbers which were distributed, for a consideration, for radio broadcast on the Ford Motor Program. A notice appears on the transcription that it is to be used only by a distributee station and then only on the Ford Program. Defendant, who is not a distributee, broadcast one of these transcriptions without the plaintiff's consent. Plaintiff sued to enjoin rendition of the transcriptions. Held, that the injunction should be granted because there was a proprietary interest in the plaintiff's rendition of these musical numbers, …

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Trade Marks And Trade Names - Descriptive Terms - "Shredded Wheat'' Not Capable Of Exclusive Appropriation As Trade Name, Thomas K. Fisher Jun 1939

Trade Marks And Trade Names - Descriptive Terms - "Shredded Wheat'' Not Capable Of Exclusive Appropriation As Trade Name, Thomas K. Fisher

Michigan Law Review

In a recent case decided by the United States Supreme Court the following facts appeared. In 1893 a pillow-shaped shredded wheat biscuit was introduced into the highly competitive breakfast food market, and patent rights for the product and its manufacture were secured by the Shredded Wheat Company. Though the basic patent expired in 1912, more than seventeen million dollars were expended in popularizing this particular product. Plaintiff acquired the business and good will of the Shredded Wheat Company in 1930, and continued the extensive advertising of "Shredded Wheat" biscuit. The present suit was begun in 1932 by the National Biscuit …

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Patents - Right Of Patentee To Restrict Manufacture, Use, And Sale Of Patented Device, Collins E. Brooks May 1939

Patents - Right Of Patentee To Restrict Manufacture, Use, And Sale Of Patented Device, Collins E. Brooks

Michigan Law Review

The patent laws of the United States grant to a patentee the "exclusive right to make, use, and vend the invention or discovery . . . throughout the United States and the Territories thereof . . . . " Much litigation has arisen over the extent of the monopoly thus granted a patentee, but even at this late date it is not too clearly defined. The question came up anew in the case of General Talking Pictures Corp. v. Western Electric Co., where the owner of a patent on a device used in sound reproduction and broadcast reception had …

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Trade Marks And Trade Names -- Injunction Against Non-Competitors, John C. Griffin Mar 1939

Trade Marks And Trade Names -- Injunction Against Non-Competitors, John C. Griffin

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, Hugo Stein, began business in 1906 as Hugo Stein Cloak Company. Starting in the same year, defendant, S. B. Stein, continuously transacted a jewelry business variously as an individual, a partnership and finally, since 1931, as a corporation. Immediately prior to defendant's incorporation, plaintiff moved to within four doors of defendant. Plaintiff for thirty years consistently advertised as "Stein's," while defendant never did so, at least without additional description, until 1936, at which time it changed its store front and newspaper advertisements to correspond to plaintiff's. There was evidence that numerous people inquired at plaintiff's for jewelry. Held, …

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The Measure Of Recovery In Actions For The Infringement Of Copyright, Julian Caplan Feb 1939

The Measure Of Recovery In Actions For The Infringement Of Copyright, Julian Caplan

Michigan Law Review

Since the present federal copyright statute was enacted in 1909, and especially quite recently, there have been repeated attempts at drastic modification of the law. Certain groups contend that the present statutory provisions are not of sufficient protection to the copyright proprietor, whereas other groups contend that the extent of the protection is entirely unwarranted. One of the chief phases of controversy has involved the measure of recovery in suits for infringement. The issue is of fundamental importance, since the measure of damages determines to a large extent how effective the other provisions of the statute will be. Whether, under …

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Patents - Monopolies - Contributory Infringement Of Process Patent, Julian Caplan May 1938

Patents - Monopolies - Contributory Infringement Of Process Patent, Julian Caplan

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff was the owner of a patent for the process of using bituminous emulsion to retard evaporation during the curing of concrete roads. Plaintiff supplied bituminous emulsion, an unpatented material, to road builders, permitting them to use the patented curing process, but had no express licenses or royalty contracts with these contractors. Defendant, a competing manufacturer of the emulsion, sold some of this material to a road builder, knowing that it was intended to be used in infringing the process patent. Plaintiff brought suit for contributory infringement against the supplier of the materials. Held, that the owner of a …

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Patents - Patentability Of The Product Of A Process, Julian Caplan Mar 1938

Patents - Patentability Of The Product Of A Process, Julian Caplan

Michigan Law Review

The problem to be discussed in this comment can best be illustrated by setting forth a hypothetical fact situation. It will be assumed that an inventor, A has invented a new and useful process for refining oil, which process is denoted process X. Heretofore all oil has been refined by process Y. The oil produced by process X does not differ sufficiently in its chemical and physical properties from that produced by process Y so that the inventor can get a patent on the oil as such. Assuming that, upon proper application, A may receive a patent for …

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Patents - Equity Pleading - Sufficiency Of "Short Form" Of Bill Of Complaint - Burden Of Proof Of Validity Of Patent Infringement Suit, Julian Caplan Dec 1937

Patents - Equity Pleading - Sufficiency Of "Short Form" Of Bill Of Complaint - Burden Of Proof Of Validity Of Patent Infringement Suit, Julian Caplan

Michigan Law Review

Complainant brought suit for infringement of letters patent and used the so-called "short form" of bill of complaint. Defendant moved to dismiss the bill for insufficient facts to constitute a cause of action, since there were no allegations of compliance with the statutory provisions for issuance of a patent. The District Court and the Circuit Court of Appeals for, the Eighth Circuit sustained the demurrer, but the Supreme Court held that under Equity Rule 25 the short form of bill of complaint contained all the ultimate facts necessary for complainant to state a cause of action. Mumm v. Jacob E. …

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Trade-Marks - Registration - Likelihood Of Confusion, Herbert L. Nadeau Nov 1937

Trade-Marks - Registration - Likelihood Of Confusion, Herbert L. Nadeau

Michigan Law Review

The applicant sought registration of the trade-mark "Powermax" for gasoline. The application was opposed on the ground of prior use and registration of "Powerine" for the same product. The register already contained the marks "Powerfuel," "Powerline," "Powerite," "Powero," "Powerflash," and "Powerized" for gasoline. Held, the application was properly denied. The mark must be considered as a whole, and the fact that the registered mark, or a portion of it, is descriptive in character does not justify disregarding the similarity in passing on the right to register. The showing of other confusing marks on the register does not help this …

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Trade-Marks -- Map As A Trade-Mark Registerable Under Act Of 1905, Philip A. Hart Jr. Jun 1937

Trade-Marks -- Map As A Trade-Mark Registerable Under Act Of 1905, Philip A. Hart Jr.

Michigan Law Review

Canada Dry Ginger Ale filed an application for the registration, under the Trade-Mark Act of February 20, 1905, as amended, of a colored map of Canada used by it as a trade-mark for maltless beverages sold as soft drinks. The Commissioner of Patents ruled the mark was not a valid trademark at common law and was intended to fall within the statutory prohibition against the registry of "merely a geographical name or term." On appeal, Canada Dry asserted that the mark was a valid common-law trade-mark, and that even though not otherwise registerable, it became so by virtue of a …

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Patents, Copyrights And Trade Secrets - Destruction Of Infringing Instruments Owned By Infringer, Michigan Law Review Jun 1937

Patents, Copyrights And Trade Secrets - Destruction Of Infringing Instruments Owned By Infringer, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Where a patent is infringed, it is safe to assume that the patenter can collect damages from the infringer as well as secure an accounting for profits and an injunction against further infringement. Any one of these forms of relief or of various combinations is usually granted as a matter of course. Such relief is also granted for infringement of trade secrets, copyrights and literary property. Many courts believe that the problem is solved at this point. But two questions still remain: Does this relief give sufficient practical protection to the plaintiff? And, if not, can destruction of the tangible …

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Trade Marks - Registration - Color As A Common-Law Or Technical Trade Mark, Michigan Law Review Jun 1937

Trade Marks - Registration - Color As A Common-Law Or Technical Trade Mark, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff had applied for registration of a trade mark for a cleaning powder consisting of a rectangular yellow panel, bounded by a contrasting blue border, affixed to the container of the goods. The mark was accompanied by two other trade marks and by certain descriptive material impressed on the body of the mark within the blue border, for which trade marks and descriptive matter registration was not sought. The Commissioner refused to register the mark on the ground that it would not indicate the origin or ownership of the goods, and on the further ground that it would be regarded …

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Trade - Marks And Trade Names - Effect Of Word - Mark Acquiring A Descriptive Connotation, Grover C. Grismore Apr 1937

Trade - Marks And Trade Names - Effect Of Word - Mark Acquiring A Descriptive Connotation, Grover C. Grismore

Michigan Law Review

One of the principal stumbling blocks in the way of the development of a consistent and satisfactory theory of trade-mark protection has been the anomalous distinction that has always been made between the so-called technical or common-law trade-mark, and the non-technical mark or tradename. This distinction, as has been pointed out previously in this Review, grew somewhat accidentally out of the supposed limitations on the jurisdiction of equity. Some of the earliest trade-mark cases proceeded on the theory that to justify the intervention of a court of equity, when the defendant was not shown to have been guilty of …

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Trade Marks And Trade Names - Mark Used On Patented Article - Effect Of Expiration Of Patent, William J. Isaacson Mar 1937

Trade Marks And Trade Names - Mark Used On Patented Article - Effect Of Expiration Of Patent, William J. Isaacson

Michigan Law Review

P company had distributed patented razor-blades marked Enders, and, upon the expiration of its patent, registered the word as a trade mark. It also used the term Keen-Kutter, as part of its mark, but the use of this term on other goods antedated the patent by several years. P now seeks to enjoin the D company from using either term as part of its trademark. Held, (1) the word Enders having become descriptively designative of this type of razor and blade, D was entitled to use it upon expiration of P's patent; (2) as to Keen-Kutter …

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Constitutional Law-Resale Price Maintenance -Fair Trade Acts, Joseph H. Mueller Feb 1937

Constitutional Law-Resale Price Maintenance -Fair Trade Acts, Joseph H. Mueller

Michigan Law Review

Four cases upholding the validity of the California and Illinois Fair Trade Acts were recently sustained by the United States Supreme Court. All four cases involved a similar set of facts. Plaintiffs, the owners or authorized distributors of certain well known trade-marked articles, entered into a series of contracts with wholesalers and retailers fixing the resale prices of their branded products. When defendants, certain retailers who had refused to enter into such agreements, persisted in reselling the articles below the prices stipulated in the contracts with other retailers, plaintiffs sued to enjoin them under the provisions of the state Fair …

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Trade Marks - Extent Of User Essential To Right To Priority Jun 1936

Trade Marks - Extent Of User Essential To Right To Priority

Michigan Law Review

Two promoters conceived the idea of a corporation to manufacture beer, the beer to be labeled "Old South Brew." While the process of incorporation was proceeding the promoters arranged with the Eastern Beverage Corporation of New Jersey to make a beer labeled "Old South Brew," to be shipped, and which was shipped, only to customers of the promoters. The promoters then extensively advertised this product and the fact that the same beer was to be made by their own corporation. The corporation, known as the "Old South Brewing Co., Inc." was chartered, but to the date of trial had not …

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Trade-Marks--Unfair Competition--Right Of Exclusive Selling Agent Feb 1936

Trade-Marks--Unfair Competition--Right Of Exclusive Selling Agent

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff corporation is a retailer and importer of denture -blanks and is the exclusive American selling agent of the German company which makes them. The blanks are stamped with the trade-mark '"Heckolith," which is registered by the German maker in Germany and in the United States. The plaintiff, after putting the blanks through a secret aging process, places them on the market in distinctive boxes, which it marks with the word, "Hecolite," the Anglicized form of the German trade-mark. The plaintiff registered the mark "Hecolite" as his own, and also the mark "Heckolith," after a purported assignment of the mark …

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Equity-Patent Infringement-Advantages Of Declaratory Judgment Over Injuction Relief Feb 1936

Equity-Patent Infringement-Advantages Of Declaratory Judgment Over Injuction Relief

Michigan Law Review

Defendant had patented a certain seam used in garment-making and also the means for manufacturing it. Plaintiff claimed that this patent was void because anticipated by his own practice. Under this claim plaintiff continued to manufacture the type of seam in question and to sell garments in which it was used. Defendant thereupon sent notices both to plaintiff and to his customers threatening suit for infringement. Plaintiff sought a decree under the Declaratory Judgment Act to determine whether the patent was valid. Defendant moved to dismiss the action. Held, motion denied; a declaratory judgment is an appropriate proceeding for …

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Trade Marks-Effect Of Licensing Use Of Trade Mark By Sales Agent On Rights Of Owner Of The Mark Jan 1936

Trade Marks-Effect Of Licensing Use Of Trade Mark By Sales Agent On Rights Of Owner Of The Mark

Michigan Law Review

For twenty-five years plaintiff company was licensed by X manufacturing company to sell furnaces made by X in Kentucky and to use the trade-mark "Monarch" thereon along with plaintiff's name, leaving X's name off the furnace. After the termination of this license plaintiff continued to sell other furnaces with the mark "Monarch" affixed thereto. Four years later X licensed defendant company to sell X's furnaces in Kentucky and to use the mark "Monarch" on the same. Plaintiff brought suit to enjoin defendant's use of said. mark on furnaces sold in Kentucky. Held, licensing use of mark by X to …

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Patents - Infringement - Estoppel Based On Prior Interference Proceedings Jan 1936

Patents - Infringement - Estoppel Based On Prior Interference Proceedings

Michigan Law Review

The defendant was sued for infringement of certain basic process patents held by plaintiff corporation covering the recording of sound upon motion picture film. The defendant had applied for a patent for substantially this invention, but had lost in interference proceedings declared between him and the plaintiff here, who had also applied at about the same time. Because of these acts of applying and contesting interference proceedings, plaintiff here claimed that defendant was now estopped to set up in defense to this suit the non-patentable nature of the invention. Held, that the patent was invalid for anticipation and that …

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Unfair Competition-Misrepresentations By A Competitor Of The Quality Or Character Of His Own Product Jan 1936

Unfair Competition-Misrepresentations By A Competitor Of The Quality Or Character Of His Own Product

Michigan Law Review

The plaintiff, an exclusive licensee under certain patents, manufactures the "Purolator" oil filter. The A. C. Filter produced by the defendant was adjudged to be an infringement of plaintiff's patent rights and a permanent injunction was granted. Defendant then changed the internal construction of its oil filter without changing the shape, color, marking or appearance and thereafter sold the changed device representing that it was the same as the earlier infringing one. From a decree of the lower court dismissing plaintiff's bill alleging unfair competition, plaintiff appealed. Held, injunction granted restraining defendant from falsely representing the filter it is …

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Trade Marks- Use Of Same Mark On Dissimilar Goods Jan 1935

Trade Marks- Use Of Same Mark On Dissimilar Goods

Michigan Law Review

The defendant began to manufacture and sell mechanic's hand soap, adopting the word "Par" as a trade-mark. Within the same year the plaintiff corporation, ignorant of the defendant's prior use of the word "Par," adopted the same trade-mark for its granulated laundry soap. Thereafter the defendant, assuming the name "Par Soap Co.," began to market a granulated laundry soap under the same trade-mark, "Par." Each party prayed for an injunction against infringement by the other. Held, the defendant acquired a common-law trade-mark as applied to mechanics' hand soap but not the right to extend it to the whole field …

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Federal Practice -Jurisdiction Over Non-Federal Questions - Meaning Of Cause Of Action Jan 1934

Federal Practice -Jurisdiction Over Non-Federal Questions - Meaning Of Cause Of Action

Michigan Law Review

Petitioners brought suit in a federal court to enjoin the respondents from publicly producing a play, alleging that it infringed a copyrighted play of the petitioners and that it would also constitute unfair competition. The parties were citizens of the same State. After considering the claim of infringement on its merits, the court held that, although there was no infringement threatened, the jurisdiction acquired by reason of that federal question might be retained to consider the issue of unfair competition. Hurn v. Oursler, 289 U.S. 238, 53 Sup. Ct. 586 (1933).

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Federal Practice -Venue - Plaintiff's Privilege In Respect To Defendant's Counterclaim On An Unrelated Patent Jun 1933

Federal Practice -Venue - Plaintiff's Privilege In Respect To Defendant's Counterclaim On An Unrelated Patent

Michigan Law Review

Petitioners brought suit in the federal court for the northern district of Ohio against defendant corporations having regular and established places of business in that district and against two individual defendants resident there alleging infringement of patent rights and asking for injunction, damages, and an accounting. Defendants' answer denied infringement and set up a counterclaim based on a patent granted one of the defendants praying for an injunction against infringement and an accounting. Defendants' counterclaim did not allege that petitioners were inhabitants of the district where the counterclaim was to be tried or that they had regular and established places …

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Torts - Negligence -The Duty Element Dec 1932

Torts - Negligence -The Duty Element

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff was the driver of a large motor coach which had skidded on an icy road and knocked down a telephone post, causing a wire, strung thereon, to sag across the road. Perceiving that defendant's approaching truck would run into the wire, plaintiff signalled defendant to stop, but defendant did not stop until his truck had struck the wire, pulling the pole over so that it hit the plaintiff. Held, one judge dissenting, that the question of defendant's negligence was for the jury. Kennedy v. Scott Transportation Co., (C. C. A. 2d, 1932) 60 F. (2d) 717.

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Taxation-Federal Instrumentalities-Exemption From State Tax Nov 1932

Taxation-Federal Instrumentalities-Exemption From State Tax

Michigan Law Review

Appellant, a New York corporation which is engaged in Georgia in licensing copyrighted motion pictures, brought suit to restrain a Georgia tax upon the gross receipts of royalties. Appellant urged the invalidity of the tax upon the ground that copyrights are instrumentalities of the United States. The supreme court of Georgia ruled that the suit should be dismissed. On appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States it was held, in Fox Film Corporation v. Doyal, that a state tax on royalties derived from copyrights is valid.

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Patents - Right To Personal Service In Contempt Proceedings May 1932

Patents - Right To Personal Service In Contempt Proceedings

Michigan Law Review

Complainant obtained in the district court of Massachusetts a final injunction against the manufacture and sale of a device by defendant, a Michigan corporation. In a subsequent term of court, complainant brought contempt proceedings for an alleged violation of the injunction. Copies of the petition, motion, and order to show cause were sent by registered mail to the defendant's place of business. Objection to the jurisdiction of the court was raised upon the ground that the term in which the injunction had issued had expired and the decree, as to compensation, had been satisfied; hence personal service as in a …

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Patents - Option Of The Court To Permit Contempt Proceedings Or To Require A New Suit Apr 1932

Patents - Option Of The Court To Permit Contempt Proceedings Or To Require A New Suit

Michigan Law Review

A final injunction was issued by the federal district court of Massachusetts against A, a Michigan corporation. The terms of the injunction were that A should not make, use, or sell lasts, or any colorable imitation thereof, embodying the invention covered by certain enumerated claims belonging to the present complainant. In a subsequent term of court the complainant alleged a violation of the injunction and brought contempt proceedings against A in the district court. The alleged infringement consisted in the manufacture and sale of a device which was slightly changed in form from that which the defendant had made prior …

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