Source: http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1125?quicktabs_8=3
Timestamp: 2013-12-11 08:11:08
Document Index: 507444409

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1125', '§ 1125', '§ 1125', '§ 43', '§ 132', '§ 3', '§ 3', '§ 3', '§ 1000', '§ 3002', '§ 2', '§ 46', '§ 3', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 5', '§ 3', '§ 3010', '§ 1000', '§ 3006']

15 USC § 1125 - False designations of origin, false descriptions, and dilution forbidden | Title 15 - Commerce and Trade | U.S. Code | LII / Legal Information Institute
USC › Title 15 › Chapter 22 › Subchapter III › § 1125	prevnext
15 USC § 1125 - False designations of origin, false descriptions, and dilution forbidden
Importation Any goods marked or labeled in contravention of the provisions of this section shall not be imported into the United States or admitted to entry at any customhouse of the United States. The owner, importer, or consignee of goods refused entry at any customhouse under this section may have any recourse by protest or appeal that is given under the customs revenue laws or may have the remedy given by this chapter in cases involving goods refused entry or seized.
Dilution by blurring; dilution by tarnishment (1)
Injunctive relief Subject to the principles of equity, the owner of a famous mark that is distinctive, inherently or through acquired distinctiveness, shall be entitled to an injunction against another person who, at any time after the owner’s mark has become famous, commences use of a mark or trade name in commerce that is likely to cause dilution by blurring or dilution by tarnishment of the famous mark, regardless of the presence or absence of actual or likely confusion, of competition, or of actual economic injury.
For purposes of paragraph (1), a mark is famous if it is widely recognized by the general consuming public of the United States as a designation of source of the goods or services of the mark’s owner. In determining whether a mark possesses the requisite degree of recognition, the court may consider all relevant factors, including the following:
For purposes of paragraph (1), “dilution by blurring” is association arising from the similarity between a mark or trade name and a famous mark that impairs the distinctiveness of the famous mark. In determining whether a mark or trade name is likely to cause dilution by blurring, the court may consider all relevant factors, including the following:
For purposes of paragraph (1), “dilution by tarnishment” is association arising from the similarity between a mark or trade name and a famous mark that harms the reputation of the famous mark.
Exclusions The following shall not be actionable as dilution by blurring or dilution by tarnishment under this subsection:
Any fair use, including a nominative or descriptive fair use, or facilitation of such fair use, of a famous mark by another person other than as a designation of source for the person’s own goods or services, including use in connection with—
Any noncommercial use of a mark.
Burden of proof In a civil action for trade dress dilution under this chapter for trade dress not registered on the principal register, the person who asserts trade dress protection has the burden of proving that—
the claimed trade dress, taken as a whole, is not functional and is famous; and
if the claimed trade dress includes any mark or marks registered on the principal register, the unregistered matter, taken as a whole, is famous separate and apart from any fame of such registered marks.
Additional remedies In an action brought under this subsection, the owner of the famous mark shall be entitled to injunctive relief as set forth in section 1116 of this title. The owner of the famous mark shall also be entitled to the remedies set forth in sections 1117
(a) and 1118 of this title, subject to the discretion of the court and the principles of equity if—
the mark or trade name that is likely to cause dilution by blurring or dilution by tarnishment was first used in commerce by the person against whom the injunction is sought after October 6, 2006; and
in a claim arising under this subsection—
by reason of dilution by blurring, the person against whom the injunction is sought willfully intended to trade on the recognition of the famous mark; or
by reason of dilution by tarnishment, the person against whom the injunction is sought willfully intended to harm the reputation of the famous mark.
Ownership of valid registration a complete bar to action The ownership by a person of a valid registration under the Act of March 3, 1881, or the Act of February 20, 1905, or on the principal register under this chapter shall be a complete bar to an action against that person, with respect to that mark, that—
is brought by another person under the common law or a statute of a State; and
seeks to prevent dilution by blurring or dilution by tarnishment; or
asserts any claim of actual or likely damage or harm to the distinctiveness or reputation of a mark, label, or form of advertisement.
Savings clause Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to impair, modify, or supersede the applicability of the patent laws of the United States.
Cyberpiracy prevention (1)
the domain name violates any right of the owner of a mark registered in the Patent and Trademark Office, or protected under subsection (a) or (c) of this section; and
sending a notice of the alleged violation and intent to proceed under this paragraph to the registrant of the domain name at the postal and e-mail address provided by the registrant to the registrar; and
publishing notice of the action as the court may direct promptly after filing the action.
(July 5, 1946, ch. 540, title VIII, § 43,60 Stat. 441; Pub. L. 100–667, title I, § 132,Nov. 16, 1988, 102 Stat. 3946; Pub. L. 102–542, § 3(c),Oct. 27, 1992, 106 Stat. 3568; Pub. L. 104–98, § 3(a),Jan. 16, 1996, 109 Stat. 985; Pub. L. 106–43, §§ 3(a)(2), 5,Aug. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 219, 220; Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(9) [title III, § 3002(a)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–545; Pub. L. 109–312, § 2,Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1730.)
Acts March 3, 1881, and February 20, 1905, referred to in subsec. (c)(2)(A)(iv), (6), are acts Mar. 3, 1881, ch. 138, 21 Stat. 502, and Feb. 20, 1905, ch. 592, 33 Stat. 724, which were repealed insofar as inconsistent with this chapter by act July 5, 1946, ch. 540, § 46(a),60 Stat. 444. Act Feb. 20, 1905, was classified to sections 81 to 109 of this title.
Act Mar. 19, 1920, ch. 104, § 3,41 Stat. 534.
2006—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 109–312, § 2(1), added subsec. (c) and struck out former subsec. (c) which related to remedies for dilution of famous marks.
Subsec. (d)(1)(B)(i)(IX). Pub. L. 109–312, § 2(2), substituted “subsection (c)” for “subsection (c)(1)”.
1999—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 106–43, § 5, added par. (3).
Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 106–43, § 3(a)(2), inserted “as set forth in section 1116 of this title” after “relief” in first sentence.
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 106–113added subsec. (d).
1996—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104–98added subsec. (c).
1992—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–542designated existing provisions as par. (1), redesignated former pars. (1) and (2) as subpars. (A) and (B), respectively, and added par. (2).
1988—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 100–667amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) read as follows: “Any person who shall affix, apply, or annex, or use in connection with any goods or services, or any container or containers for goods, a false designation of origin, or any false description or representation, including words or other symbols tending falsely to describe or represent the same, and shall cause such goods or services to enter into commerce, and any person who shall with knowledge of the falsity of such designation of origin or description or representation cause or procure the same to be transported or used in commerce or deliver the same to any carrier to be transported or used, shall be liable to a civil action by any person doing business in the locality falsely indicated as that of origin or in the region in which said locality is situated, or by any person who believes that he is or is likely to be damaged by the use of any such false description or representation.”
Amendment by Pub. L. 106–113applicable to all domain names registered before, on, or after Nov. 29, 1999, see section 1000(a)(9) [title III, § 3010] of Pub. L. 106–113, set out as a note under section 1117 of this title.
Section 5 ofPub. L. 104–98provided that: “This Act [amending this section and section 1127 of this title and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 1051 of this title] and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [Jan. 16, 1996].”
Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(9) [title III, § 3006], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–550, provided that:
“(2) protecting individuals from bad faith uses of their personal names as second level domain names by others with malicious intent to harm the reputation of the individual or the goodwill associated with that individual’s name;
“(4) protecting the public from registration of domain names that include the personal names of government officials, official candidates, and potential official candidates for Federal, State, or local political office in the United States, and the use of such domain names in a manner that disrupts the electoral process or the public’s ability to access accurate and reliable information regarding such individuals;