FINAL EXAM:
Federal Trademark Dilution Act of 1995
Ladas & Parry:
- What does this statute do?
- When did it take effect?
- What are the guidelines to determine which marks are distinctive?
- Does the statute protect unregistered marks?
- What is the statute's definition of dilution?
- How have courts defined "blurring" and "tarnishment"? Are these likely covered by the new statute?
- What examples of violations under the FTDA are given?
- What remedy does the statute allow?
- Does the statute preempt state dilution laws?
- What First Amendment-protected uses are expressly exempted by the statute?
- What is the purpose of the statute?
- What issues under the statute are unsettled?
Moseley v. V Secret Catalogue
- What are the facts of the case?
- What was the outcome of this case and the court's reasoning to reach its conclusion?
- Would the Moseley store be more likely to blur or to tarnish Victoria's Secret trademark?
- According to the court, does the FTDA likely cover blurring and tarnishment?
- Is objective proof of actual injury to the economic value of a famous mark (as opposed to a presumption of harm arising from a subjective "likelihood of dilution" standard) a requisite for relief under the FTDA? Does the FTDA require proof of actual dilution? What was the court's reasoning?
- Must the consequences of dilution, such as an actual loss of sales or profits, also be proved?
- At least where the marks at issue are not identical, would the mere fact that consumers mentally associate the junior user's mark with a famous mark be sufficient to establish actionable dilution?
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