Opinion ID: 3022764
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Relationship Between the Family

Text: Businesses The relationship between the family businesses is not altogether clear. Doebler III states that until the time of his father’s death in 2002, Doebler II “selected the seed corn grown by all these seed production farms.” Appellants’ Br. at 6. Defendants further claim that even after the formation of Hybrids, Doebler II and Partnership “remained in charge and was the driving force in [Hybrids’s] affairs.” Id. For its part, plaintiff argues that it was Hybrids that set up the dealer network, controlled the use of the mark after 1972, and that it “is and has always been known to the public and the agriculture industry as ‘DOEBLER’S.’” Appellee Br. at 9.3 Partnership had no customers and made no retail sales of seed corn after 1972 through 2002, except to Hybrids and Farmland. In addition, Hybrids did not just sell seed provided by Partnership; it also appears to have sold, under the DOEBLER name, seed produced by Camerer Farms and other non-family providers.