A legal battle has emerged between a New York-based distillery and a well-known international golf tour over the use of the “LIV” trademark. The distillery, operating under the name Vodka Co., has filed a suit seeking to prevent the golf tour from using the “LIV” mark for selling alcoholic beverages. The distillery claims that this…
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has recently implemented AI-based search tools that are transforming how patent applications are evaluated. This shift is raising concerns among patent applicants who might find their applications facing increased scrutiny. The advanced tools are designed to efficiently sift through massive databases to compare new applications against existing…
By mid-2026, several pivotal trademark rulings have emerged, shaping the landscape of intellectual property law. Legal professionals are particularly attentive to the Seventh Circuit’s decision to restrict the capabilities of trademark plaintiffs in cases against foreign online sellers accused of counterfeiting. This ruling addresses complex international dynamics and the challenges of holding sellers accountable across…
Google has initiated legal action against an electronics accessories firm, alleging the sale of counterfeit Pixel chargers that misuse its trademark. The tech giant filed a complaint in a Florida federal court, asserting that the company not only distributed unauthorized products but also attempted to register a logo closely resembling Google’s distinctive “G” emblem. The…
A Pennsylvania federal judge has recently dismissed a trade dress infringement claim filed by Pearl Musical Instrument Co. Ltd. against a Japanese competitor. The case revolves around intellectual property disputes over the design of marching band drum carriers. Notably, the judge’s decision allows Pearl another opportunity to amend its claim and bolster its arguments. This…
A former bodybuilder embroiled in a trademark dispute is seeking relief from a New Jersey federal court. The individual is accused of promoting bodybuilding competitions under the storied “Mr. America” title without authorization from the trademark holders. The bodybuilder has filed a motion asking the judge to either dismiss the case or transfer it to…
The increasing sophistication of AI-generated deepfakes is prompting celebrities to employ trademark law as a means to safeguard their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights. Notable figures like Lionel Richie, Taylor Swift, and Matthew McConaughey are leading the charge, leveraging federal trademark law to counter unauthorized AI-generated replicas of their personas. These actions stem from…
Starbucks Workers United has approached a Pennsylvania federal court, requesting a declaration that their name and logo do not infringe upon Starbucks’ trademarks. The union seeks to establish they are distinct and separate from the well-known coffee giant. The request underscores the ongoing tension between the global coffee chain and its affiliate union, which argues…
In a recent legal dispute highlighting intellectual property concerns within the entertainment industry, Sirius XM Radio Inc. faces allegations of trademark infringement over a logo design. The case, filed in Massachusetts federal court, asserts that the satellite radio conglomerate unlawfully replicated a design mark featuring an “S” encircling a star, a motif reportedly belonging to…
In an ongoing legal battle concerning the unauthorized sale of “Make America Great Again” and “Trump” branded merchandise, a federal magistrate judge in Florida has recommended that a group of online retailers pay $14.6 million in statutory damages. The retailers are accused of trademark infringement for selling counterfeit products associated with these high-profile brands, and…
Recent developments have surfaced regarding the efforts to trademark “Board Of Peace,” as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has discontinued the registration process. This decision affects the initiatives set by the Trump administration, which had previously sought to secure the trademarks for a project associated with former President Donald Trump. The discontinuation of…
This week, a significant legal dispute is set to unfold in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, where Fastcase Inc. will face off against Alexi Technologies Inc. The case, Fastcase Inc. v. Alexi Technologies Inc., is being presided over by Judge Richard J. Leon. This lawsuit has the potential to shape the…
As the Supreme Court concludes its noteworthy 2025-26 term, attention shifts to its forthcoming docket, which pledges to tackle urgent topics such as gun rights, voting restrictions, and LGBT rights. The Court will also address cases concerning large corporations. Among these are climate-related litigation against ExxonMobil and Suncor Energy led by officials in Boulder, Colorado,…
In a lawsuit filed in New York federal court, 7-Eleven has accused Nike of appropriating its iconic tricolor design for an upcoming shoe release. The case, filed on July 2, 2026, asserts that the new Nike shoe bears the convenience store chain’s well-known orange, green, and red stripes, which 7-Eleven claims are central to its…
Laura Peter, who previously held the position of Deputy Director at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) during the Trump administration, has been nominated for the leadership role of Deputy Director General of the Patents and Technology sector at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). This nomination underscores a significant transition within the international…
Anthropic PBC has initiated a trademark infringement lawsuit against Abnormal AI in a California federal court, asserting that Abnormal’s 2025 rebranding mimicked Anthropic’s distinctive slash-style logo and animated transitions, resulting in customer confusion. The case highlights the growing significance of brand identity in the rapidly evolving tech sector, where visual representation can play a crucial…
The Federal Circuit has upheld a decision by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) regarding the trademark registration of “Mon Ami” for dog treats. The court agreed that the proposed trademarks bore too close a resemblance to an existing mark, thereby rejecting the bid to register them. This ruling reflects a strict interpretation of…
In a legal development capturing the attention of intellectual property professionals, a New Mexico-based company, known for its innovative service of transforming human ashes into stones, has initiated a lawsuit in Colorado federal court. The company, which gained visibility through its appearance on “Shark Tank,” alleges that a competitor has unlawfully replicated its patented product….
Major League Baseball’s attempt to trademark the phrase “play ball” was recently thwarted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The office deemed the expression too “commonplace” and “widely used” to be associated exclusively with MLB. The ruling, however, does leave open avenues for appeal or potential reconsideration, reflecting the complexities often inherent in…
The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear a pivotal case involving PepsiCo’s “Mtn Dew Rise Energy” drink, which could clarify the role of juries versus judges in determining the inherent strength of a trademark. This case centers around a narrow question with significant implications: should juries have a greater say in deciding whether a…
The U.S. Supreme Court’s choice to engage with the trademark dispute concerning PepsiCo’s “Mtn Dew Rise Energy” marks a pivotal moment in clarifying the jury’s role in determining the inherent strength of trademarks. This issue has been delineated as a significant point, potentially impacting how often trademark infringement cases endure the test of summary judgment….
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a complex trademark dispute involving PepsiCo and Rise Brewing Co., the manufacturer of Rise nitro cold-brew coffee, which raises pivotal questions about trademark law. The crux of the case concerns whether the inherent strength of a trademark, when assessing the likelihood of consumer confusion, should be determined…
In a significant development in intellectual property enforcement, a Connecticut federal judge has imposed sanctions on a New Haven flea market operator for selling counterfeit Louis Vuitton merchandise. The sanctions follow a violation of a 2018 settlement in which the operator agreed to cease such sales. The operator further compounded the issue by failing to…
The Western District of Texas (WDTX) has become a focal point in U.S. patent litigation, primarily due to the strategies and decisions of Judge Alan Albright, who presided over numerous high-profile cases. As he has now been succeeded by Judge Christopher Robert Wolfe, the legal community is closely monitoring potential shifts in the court’s handling…
Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices Franchise Corp. has encountered a setback in its attempt to trademark its recognizable blue-and-white vertical stripe pattern. The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) delivered a precedential judgment, asserting that the pattern is too ubiquitous across the frozen-dessert, beverage, and restaurant sectors for it to merit trademark protection. This ruling underscores…