Opinion ID: 1535582
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: an independent church practicing christian science.

Text: Because plaintiffs viewed defendants' use of that name as violative of the trial court's judgment, they sought an Order in Aid of Litigants' Rights enjoining use of the proposed name. The trial court agreed that the proposed use of the term Christian Science as part of the name of the church amounted to a trademark use in violation of the judgment. It therefore ordered that the second line, An Independent Church Practicing Christian Science, be used, if at all, only as an explanatory phrase rather than as part of the name. The order included specific restrictions on the size, type, and style of lettering. On appeal to the Appellate Division defendants challenged only the restraints on their use of Christian Science and Christian Science Church. Therefore the injunction stands against their use of Christ, Scientist and Church of Christ, Scientist. A divided Appellate Division held that plaintiffs were not entitled to exclusive use of the phrase Christian Science when used as part of the name of a church. Christian Science Bd. of Directors v. Evans, 199 N.J. Super. 160 (1985). The court rested that holding on its conclusion that the primary significance to the public of the phrase Christian Science is as the name of a religion, hence the phrase could not be protected as a trade name for the name of a church. Id. at 168. The court further held that Christian Science was protectible when used as part of the trade name Christian Science Reading Room. Id. at 171-72. The Appellate Division therefore restrained defendants from using any variation of Christ, Scientist, or Christian Science in connection with a Reading Room. One judge dissented from so much of the majority opinion and judgment as reversed the trial court's injunction against defendants' use of Christian Science in the name of their church, id. at 172, thereby framing the sole issue presented on this appeal. The injunction regarding Reading Rooms continues without challenge.