{"id":18478,"date":"2020-10-27T12:21:47","date_gmt":"2020-10-27T06:51:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/?p=18478"},"modified":"2020-10-27T12:42:00","modified_gmt":"2020-10-27T07:12:00","slug":"how-to-win-a-trademark-infringement-case","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/how-to-win-a-trademark-infringement-case\/","title":{"rendered":"How to win a Trademark Infringement Case?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">Trademark infringement case is famous due to\nnumerous grey areas in the analysis of intellectual property rights law. The\nprevious few years have also led to many landmark trademark disputes. It\ncomprises arguments like Cadbury and Nestle over the trademark of the\ncharacteristic blue wrapping. Coca Cola received a trademark over the shape of\nthe bottle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/trademark-infringement-meaning-types-and-remedies\/\"><strong>Trademark infringement<\/strong><\/a> involves high costs, documentation and lead to a fall in brand image. It is essential to be well equipped to defend a registered trademark. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">Page Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/how-to-win-a-trademark-infringement-case\/#Features_of_a_potential_Trademark_Infringement\" >Features of a potential Trademark Infringement<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/how-to-win-a-trademark-infringement-case\/#How_to_find_similarity_in_the_trademark\" >How to find similarity in the trademark?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/how-to-win-a-trademark-infringement-case\/#How_to_win_a_trademark_infringement_case_on_behalf_of_the_plaintiff\" >How to win a trademark infringement case on behalf of the\nplaintiff?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/how-to-win-a-trademark-infringement-case\/#Establishing_first_use_of_the_mark\" >Establishing first use of the mark-<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/how-to-win-a-trademark-infringement-case\/#How_to_win_a_trademark_infringement_case_on_behalf_of_the_Defendant\" >How to win a trademark infringement case on behalf of the Defendant?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/how-to-win-a-trademark-infringement-case\/#Defenses_against_claims_of_Trademark_Infringement\" >Defenses against claims of Trademark Infringement<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/how-to-win-a-trademark-infringement-case\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Features_of_a_potential_Trademark_Infringement\"><\/span>Features of a potential Trademark Infringement<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In\neach suit, there are two or more parties. In the case of trademark infringement,\na suit may typically occur between one brand with another due to one or more of\nthe following situation-<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>One person&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/trademark-registration\"><strong>trademark registration<\/strong><\/a> has practiced by another person. <\/li><li>Another business with a registered trademark registers a complaint against the trademark which is using it. <\/li><li>In case of an unregistered trademark is recognized similar to the owner of a registered trademark. <\/li><li>If the owner of a registered trademark and a competing business starts using your mark without registration. <\/li><li>In case it is found that any opposing business is utilizing similarity in color, tag lines, wrapping, logo, <em><strong>product design<\/strong><\/em><sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Product_design\"><em><strong>[1]<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/sup>, brand name or any other unique factor. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"text-left\"><b>Read our article<\/b>:<mark style=\"background: #fffd03 !important;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/register-a-trademark-or-brand-name-in-india\/\">Can we register a trademark or brand name in India? If yes, How!<\/a><\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_find_similarity_in_the_trademark\"><\/span>How to find similarity in the trademark?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The final test of the trademark infringement is whether a reliable buyer looking at the goods and services is likely to be confused between two marks or it seems they are similar. The choice, while being subjective is based on some certain parameters-<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"592\" height=\"441\" src=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image-97.png\" alt=\"How to find similarity in the trademark\" class=\"wp-image-18479\" srcset=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image-97.png 592w, https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/image-97-300x223.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 592px) 100vw, 592px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_win_a_trademark_infringement_case_on_behalf_of_the_plaintiff\"><\/span>How to win a trademark infringement case on behalf of the\nplaintiff?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>The steps to be taken by the plaintiff in case of trademark infringement-<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Knowing the plaintiff&#8217;s Intellectual Property rights<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nplaintiff should double-check his\/her registration before anything else. It is\nbecause the plaintiff has to provide evidence related to when the mark was used\nfirst and that the trademark has not failed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is the trademark infringement case worth the cost and\ntime?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If\nthe plaintiff notices that the case isn&#8217;t too huge yet, then they can file for\na Cease and Desist order since it will be less costly and sufficient. A\ncease-and-desist document tells the infringing party to <em>cease <\/em>the\nalleged illegal activity and not to start again <em>(desist). <\/em>If the\ninfringement has caused severe damage to business and reputation, then it\nshould be worth the time and resources to push through with the lawsuit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get an experienced trademark lawyer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\nshould already be evident that the plaintiff should get a good lawyer when it\ncomes to infringement cases. Experienced trademark lawyers will guide him\/her\nthroughout the process even before the plaintiff push through with a lawsuit.\nAttorney fees are also needed to be considered. There are certain circumstances\nwhere the defendant is not required to pay the attorney fees of a plaintiff if they\nwin the case. The lawyer might also help to settle if they want the illegal use\nof the trademark to be ceased or ask for a certain amount for compensation of\ndamages. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether\nan individual is the proprietor of a registered or an unregistered trademark,\nthen the brand identity needs to be defended. It is the persons&#8217; business name,\nlogo, the combination of colors, the domain name of the website, etc., that the\nsuppliers and customers would identify the person. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a\nscenario, if the plaintiff comes across another business using their trademark,\nthen below are few points to consider\u2013 <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Find out the domain of business of the infringing mark.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>It\nshould ideally be the starting point, as the primary test that the courts uses\nto find out if two businesses are using a similar mark.<\/li><li>However, if the infringing brand\ndoes not refer to the industry, it could still be deceptively similar to the\nregistered trademark. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The duration of the competing business concerning the development\nof the mark<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>If\nit has established that the competitor is infringing his\/her mark deals in a\nproduct or service similar to your business, then he\/she must collect some\nbackground information. It would include finding out how long they have been in\ntheir business. <\/li><li>Additionally,\nit must also find out how long the infringing trademark has been used. <\/li><li>If the usage of mark predates\ntheir mark, it is likely to have a stronger claim. The courts generally tilt in\nfavor of the party that has started using the mark at first. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Establishing_first_use_of_the_mark\"><\/span>Establishing first use of the mark- <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If\nthey have started using the mark then some information related to the usage of\na mark may or may not be publicly available. If the mark is unregistered, this\nsearch will not yield results. In such case, the best option would be to\nestablish that you started using the mark first. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even\nif the mark has registration later, he\/she could still avail legal benefits of\nstarting to use mark earlier. Prior use of the mark might be evidenced by one\nor more of the following \u2013 <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Use\nof the mark in internal meetings, communications with stakeholders, letterheads\n<\/li><li>Display of the mark at prominent\nlocations like in websites, advertisements, and social media pages, etc.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_win_a_trademark_infringement_case_on_behalf_of_the_Defendant\"><\/span>How to win a trademark infringement case on behalf of the Defendant?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nplaintiff can have some advantages but defendant can also have strong\narguments. Defense for trademark infringement is what the defendant brings to\nshow that they did not use another&#8217;s trademark illegally. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Defenses_against_claims_of_Trademark_Infringement\"><\/span>Defenses against claims of Trademark Infringement<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Here are some defenses against claims of infringement-<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fair Use<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\nis one of the most common defenses against trademark infringement claims. It is\nsaid to be common because it involves lot of factors. One of them is fair use.\nIt is basically when the plaintiff\u2019s trademark is used to describe the defendant\u2019s\nproducts and services. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Doctrine of Laches<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\nis used as a defense by saying that there has been an unreasonable delay in the\nplaintiff&#8217;s claim. It means that the plaintiff did not file the claim quickly\nenough and has already run out of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, the individual must also keep all the communications with the Registrar of Trademarks, including notices, objections, corrections and amendments filed alongside with registered trademark. This could come in handy to establish authenticity and veracity of trademark infringement claim in case of a dispute. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"text-left\"><b>Read our article<\/b>:<mark style=\"background: #fffd03 !important;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/can-trademark-registration-impact-your-business\/\">Can Trademark Registration Impact Your Business? Let\u2019s Figure it Out!<\/a><\/mark><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trademark infringement case is famous due to numerous grey areas in the analysis of intellectual property rights law. The previous few years have also led to many landmark trademark disputes. It comprises arguments like Cadbury and Nestle over the trademark of the characteristic blue wrapping. Coca Cola received a trademark over the shape of the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":18480,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[506],"acf":{"service_id":"18"},"authorName":"Sakshi Srivastava","authorImageUrl":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/IMG-20180130-WA0007.jpg","authorDescription":"Sakshi has pursued B.B.A.LL.B.(IPR Hons.). She is an avid reader and is keen to gather and share her knowledge on the subjects relating to IPR, Company Law and GST. Priorly she has worked as a legal researcher and vide her articles she aims at improving the core knowledge of the subjects to the masses.","postViews":4687,"readingTime":4,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18478"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18478"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18478\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18487,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18478\/revisions\/18487"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18480"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18478"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18478"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corpbiz.io\/learning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18478"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}