By Audrey A. Millemann  

In another attempt to address the question of the patentability of business methods, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals has vacated its September 2007 decision in In re Comiskey (499 F.3d 1365).

  

The patent application filed by Comiskey, in 1999, claimed a method for mandatory arbitration and a system, using a computer, for performing the method. The PTO examiner rejected both the method and system claims as obvious under § 103. Comiskey appealed to the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences, who affirmed the rejections. 
 

Continue Reading Federal Circuit Revisits Comiskey

By Dale C. Campbell

The Ninth Circuit recently considered the enforceability of non-competition covenants contained in franchise-like agreements.  (Comedy Clubs, Inc. v. Improv West Associates (9th Cir. January 29, 2009; WL 205046.)

 

The plaintiff Comedy Club, Inc. (“CCI”) entered into a trademark license with Improv West Associates (“IMPROV”). CCI owned and operated restaurants and comedy clubs across the nation. The license agreement provided that IMPROV granted CCI an exclusive nationwide license to use the IMPROV marks; that CCI would open four IMPROV clubs a year in 2001 through 2003; and CCI would not operate any non-IMPROV clubs during the term of the license.

 

Continue Reading Ninth Circuit Blue-Pencils Non-Competition Agreement

by Zachary Wadlé 

Recent news reports tell of an impending legal battle between the artist of the painting at left and the Associated Press who owns the photograph upon which the painting was based. The legal battle will determine whether the ubiquitous painting of the 44th President is an original piece of artwork, or one that improperly misappropriated a photograph protected by copyright laws.

But what of President Obama’s rights in his own likeness? Can any artist commandeer the President’s likeness for his/her own commercial purposes without fear of legal repercussions? Could President Obama stop such commercial use of his likeness if he was so inclined? The answer depends on how “transformative” of President Obama’s likeness the work of art is.

Continue Reading “Transformative” or Not?

by James Kachmar

The Ninth Circuit recently addressed the issue of whether a “first publication” exclusion in an insurance policy applies to trademark infringement claims. In United National Insurance Company v. Spectrum Worldwide, Inc., et al., decided February 2, 2009, the Ninth Circuit resolved a split among lower courts and held that a “first publication” exclusion did apply under California law.

 

In December 1997, Sunset Health Products, Inc. (“Sunset”) hired Spectrum to advertise and distribute a diet drink called “Hollywood 48 Hour Miracle Diet” drink. Celebrity Products Direct, Inc. (“Celebrity”) was formed a short time later and began selling a similar product, “The Original Hollywood Celebrity Diet” drink. Spectrum then terminated its contract with Sunset and begin marketing the Celebrity diet drink.   Sunset made repeated demands that Spectrum cease infringing on its Miracle Diet trademark. 

 

Continue Reading “First Publication” Infringement Claims and Insurance Policy Exclusions

By Jeff Pietsch

Last year, Google lost the first round of a court battle against Vulcan Golf, a golf club manufacturer, in a trademark and cybersquatting dispute. In that decision, the US District Court in Illinois ruled that Google could be sued for its role in serving ads on websites that use domain names that violate trademark and cybersquatting laws. In the latest round of decisions on this case, the court denied class certification damaging the plaintiffs’ hopes in prevailing in this matter.  

 

Continue Reading Class Action Certification Denied in Google Trademark Case