Section 43 Trademark Infringement

• Library: Commercial Law 2007

The Trademark Act of 1946 (Lanham Trade-Mark Act), 60 Stat. 427, known as the Lanham Act, creates a claim for trademark infringement “when a trademark holder can demonstrate that the use of its trademark by another is likely to confuse consumers as to the source of the product.” Home Box Office, Inc. v. Showtime/The Movie Channel Inc., 832 F.2d 1311, 1314 (2^nd Cir. 1987); 15 U.S.C. § 1114(1); see also Hubbard Feeds, Inc. v. Animal Feed Supplement, Inc., 182 F.3d 598, 601 (8^th Cir. 1999); ConAgra, Inc. v. George A. Hormel, & Co., 990 F.2d 368, 369 (8^th Cir. 1993). The critical issue in an infringement action is whether there is a likelihood of confusion, mistake, or deception between the registered mark and the allegedly infringing mark. See John H. Harland Co. v. Clarke Checks, Inc., 711 F.2d 966, 972 (11^th Cir. 1983); Sun-Fun Prods., Inc. v. Suntan Research & Dev. Inc., 656 F.2d 186, 189 (5^th Cir. 1981); see also Armstrong Cork Co. v. Armstrong Plastic Covers Co...