United States Sixth Circuit

Summary judgment for defendants on the issue of "likelihood of confusion" in a suit for trademark infringement and unfair competition is reversed where, although defendants' use of plaintiff-GM's Chevrolet "bow tie" and "GMC" trademarks did not pose a likelihood of point-of-sale confusion, there were genuine disputes of material fact as to the visibility of allegedly infringing portion of the grilles for purposes of the likelihood of "downstream" consumer confusion.

Appellate Information

• Decided 06/30/2006
• Published 06/30/2006

Judges

• Before:  KEITH, MERRITT, and DAUGHTREY, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Sixth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Ernie L. Brooks, Brooks Kushman, P.C., Southfield, Michigan, for Appellant.  Thomas N. Young, Young & Basile, P.C., Troy, Michigan, Robert M. Kalec, Dean & Fulkerson, P.C., Troy, Michigan, for Appellees.   ON BRIEF:  Ernie L. Brooks, Robert C.J. Tuttle, Frank A. Angileri, Marc Lorelli, Brooks Kushman, P.C., Southfield, Michigan, for Appellant.  Thomas N. Young, Thomas E. Bejin, Young & Basile, P.C., Troy, Michigan, Robert M. Kalec, Dean & Fulkerson, P.C., Troy, Michigan, for Appellees.