Opinion ID: 365775
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Legal Standard: Confusion Reigns

Text: 17 In a trademark infringement case, the controlling issue is whether the alleged infringer's imitation of a registered mark is likely to cause confusion, or to cause mistake, or to deceive . . . . Lanham Act § 32(1), 15 U.S.C.A. § 1114(1); Roto-Rooter Corp. v. O'Neal, 5 Cir., 1975, 513 F.2d 44; World Carpets, Inc. v. Dick Littrell's New World Carpets, 5 Cir., 1971, 438 F.2d 482; Continental Motors Corp. v. Continental Aviation Corp., 5 Cir., 1967, 375 F.2d 857; American Foods, Inc. v. Golden Flakes, Inc., 5 Cir., 1963, 312 F.2d 619. 5 Therefore, as the District Court rightly observed, the case turns upon the correctness of the District Court's finding that Armstrong's use of World's trademark in its corporate name created a likelihood of confusion in the minds of the carpet buying public. 6 18 The finding of likelihood of confusion is one of fact and is therefore reviewed by this Court under the clearly erroneous test of F.R.Civ.P. 52(a). T. G. I. Friday's, Inc. v. International Restaurant Group, Inc., 5 Cir., 1978, 569 F.2d 895; Holiday Inns, Inc. v. Holiday Out In America, 5 Cir., 1973, 481 F.2d 445. The question for us is whether the District Court's finding of likelihood of confusion was clearly erroneous. 19 A finding of fact of the District Court is clearly erroneous when although there is evidence to support it, the reviewing court on the entire evidence is left with the definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been committed. United States v. United States Gypsum Co., 1948, 333 U.S. 364, 395, 68 S.Ct. 525, 542, 92 L.Ed. 746. In other words, we reverse when the result in a particular case does not reflect the truth and the right of the case. W. R. B. Corp. v. Geer, 5 Cir., 1963, 313 F.2d 750, 753, Cert. denied, 379 U.S. 841, 85 S.Ct. 78, 13 L.Ed.2d 47. We have such a result here. Having considered all the evidence in this case, we are convinced that the District Court was mistaken when it found that Armstrong's use of its proposed corporate name would create a likelihood of confusion with World, World's products, or any other aspect of World's business. 20