Court Opinion

ID: 9445481
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-03 21:30:12.051603+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:30:16.938053
License: Public Domain

STEWART, Circuit Judge
(dissenting).
In my opinion the sending of the letter of April 9, 1953, to the “trade” did not constitute an actionable wrong against the appellee. I have difficulty in reading the letter as a notice to the appellee of infringement, but even if it be so interpreted, I am unable to find in the record sufficient evidence to support the conclusion that the letter was sent maliciously or in bad faith. Kaplan v. Helenhart Novelty Corp., 2 Cir., 1950, 182 F.2d 311, 313-14; Alliance Securities Co. v. De Vilbiss Mfg. Co., 6 Cir., 1930, 41 F.2d 668, 670; Coats Loaders & Stackers, Inc., v. Henderson, 6 Cir., 1956, 233 F.2d 915, 926.
In this view of the case the question of damages is not reached, but upon that issue too I would seriously doubt the sufficiency of the evidence to show that the letter in question was a proximate cause of the appellee’s loss of business.
I would accordingly reverse the judgment of the district court on the counterclaim.