United States Fourth Circuit

In a trademark infringement action regarding the name of a dice game, summary judgment for defendant is affirmed where: 1) there was no evidence that consumers linked the mark at issue to plaintiff, and such evidence is generally thought to be the most direct and persuasive way of establishing secondary meaning; and 2) plaintiff presented no meaningful evidence that defendant wished to capitalize on plaintiff-s mark.

Appellate Information

• Argued 05/12/2009
• Decided 07/27/2009
• Published 07/27/2009

Judges

• Before WILKINSON and KING, Circuit Judges, and HAMILTON, Senior Circuit Judge.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Mark S. Sommers, Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP, Washington, DC, for Appellant.  William Francis Krebs, Bean, Kinney & Korman, PC, Arlington, Virginia, for Appellees.   ON BRIEF:  Douglas A. Rettew, Naresh Kilaru, Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP, Washington, DC, for Appellant.  Christopher A. Glaser, Heidi E. Meinzer, Bean, Kinney & Korman, PC, Arlington, Virginia, for Appellees.