Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Bit Parts

By Stan Soocher
June 29, 2009

Band Names/Federal Trademark Dilution Act

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York denied a motion for summary judgment by members of the band Hi-Five against RN'D Distribution in the music group's suit that alleged violation of the Federal Trademark Dilution Act (FTDA), 15 U.S.C.A. '1125(c). Irby v. Thompson, 05 Civ. 9935(LTS)(KNF). The district court explained that a FTDA plaintiff must show a defendant “'willfully intended to trade on the recognition of the famous mark' and caused or is likely to cause 'dilution by blurring,' or that the defendant 'willfully intended to harm the reputation of the famous mark' and caused or is likely to cause 'dilution by tarnishment.'” But the court found that the Hi-Five “have provided no evidentiary proffers to establish the mark's fame other than information contained in documents purporting to be printouts from the [Web site] of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for which they have not proffered the necessary foundational support and authentication pursuant to the Federal Rules of Evidence.”


Digital Royalties Suit/Motion to Dismiss Denied

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later Image

The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.

The DOJ's New Parameters for Evaluating Corporate Compliance Programs Image

The parameters set forth in the DOJ's memorandum have implications not only for the government's evaluation of compliance programs in the context of criminal charging decisions, but also for how defense counsel structure their conference-room advocacy seeking declinations or lesser sanctions in both criminal and civil investigations.

Use of Deferred Prosecution Agreements In White Collar Investigations Image

This article discusses the practical and policy reasons for the use of DPAs and NPAs in white-collar criminal investigations, and considers the NDAA's new reporting provision and its relationship with other efforts to enhance transparency in DOJ decision-making.

Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough Image

There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.

A Lawyer's System for Active Reading Image

Active reading comprises many daily tasks lawyers engage in, including highlighting, annotating, note taking, comparing and searching texts. It demands more than flipping or turning pages.