Court Opinion

ID: 9448804
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-03 23:45:06.626+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:31:33.386220
License: Public Domain

HAYS, Circuit Judge
(dissenting).
A preliminary injunction is granted in order to preserve the status quo pending determination of the legal rights involved and to prevent irreparable injury to the plaintiff during that period. Societe Comptoir De L'Industrie Cotonniere, etc. v. Alexander’s Department Store, 299 F.2d 33, 35 (2d Cir. 1962). Unless there is a showing that irreparable injury is at least possible, no preliminary injunction will issue. E. g., Foundry Service, Inc. v. Beneflux Corp., 206 F.2d 214 (2 Cir., 1953); American Mercury, Inc. v. Kiely, 19 F.2d 295 (2d Cir. 1927).
Even if we disregard the requirement of “irreparability,” a preliminary injunction cannot be justified in the present case because there is no showing that a refusal to grant such an injunction would result in any injury whatever to the plaintiff. The parties are not in competition in the sense that any business intended for plaintiff will be diverted to defendant. There is no suggestion in the record that defendant’s operations will engender any ill feeling on the part of the public against the plaintiff. The trial judge held that confusion without more would result in irreparable injury, but there is no basis in law or logic to believe that this is true. If defendant’s use is to be enjoined after trial it is because, as a matter of equity, the courts will prevent unjust capitalization on another’s good will, regardless of actual injury to the first user. See Lincoln Restaurant Corp. v. Wolfies Restaurant, Inc., 291 F.2d 302 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 368 U.S. 889, 82 S.Ct. 143, 7 L.Ed.2d 88 (1961); Yale Elec. Corp. v. Robertson, 26 F.2d 972 (2d Cir. 1928). While an injunction may eventually be granted if confusion is established, there is no ground for the issuance of a preliminary injunction.