Federal Court Addresses the Hallmarks of Unregistrable, Laudatory Trademarks
Rick Spagnuolo and Joseph Syposz (the “Opponents”) opposed Re/Max’s application to register “HALLMARK” in association with real estate services. The Trademarks Opposition... Read More
The Price of Contempt
In August 2018, Justice Patillo granted summary judgment (see here) permitting recognition and enforcement in Ontario of US judgments against the defendants,... Read More
A fair trial, not a perfect trial: SCC provides guidance on the limits of judicial intervention during a cross-examination
A majority of the SCC has affirmed a decision that a trial judge’s rulings curtailing lines of questioning in a cross-examination in... Read More
Concession Counters Apple’s Bifurcation Motion in Battle over Standards Essential Patent
Wi-Lan sued Apple, and sought an injunction, claiming that several Apple products which comply with the 4G and 5G standards necessarily infringe... Read More
No Evidence of Use Puts Trademark Owner in Hot Water
APEC sold reverse osmosis drinking water filtration systems under the business name “APEC Water Systems” for over 20 years, making its first... Read More
Action against whistle-tweeting – not a SLAPP says Court
In Proctorio, Incorporated v Linkletter, 2022 BCSC 400, the Supreme Court of British Columbia dismissed an application under s 4 of the... Read More
In Summary, A Foreign Voluntary Dismissal is not Res Judicata
Defendant Sonos, Inc brought a summary judgment motion to dismiss Google LLC’s Canadian patent infringement action. The parties had agreed to a... Read More
Copyright Style Tips from the USSC: Knowledge is the New Colour
Suppose that John, seeing a flash of red in a tree, says, “There is a cardinal.” But he is wrong. The bird... Read More
Trademark Must-Haves: Clean Underwear and Supporting Evidence
Fruit of the Loom successfully appealed a decision from the Registrar of Trademarks finding no likelihood of confusion between its registered mark,... Read More
Lululemon “high quality replicas” result in a tight bind
The Federal Court reviewed first principles applicable to remedies for trademark infringement for counterfeit goods in an uncontested summary trial. The defendants... Read More
Federal Circuit Applies On-Sale Bar to Offer for Sale of Catheter Introducer
The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has reversed the decision of the US District Court for the Eastern... Read More
Prior Users’ Exception to Patent Infringement Clarified by Federal Court of Canada
In Kobold Corporation v NCS Multistage Inc., 2021 FC 1437, Justice Zinn released the first decision interpreting and applying amended section 56... Read More
Fears and Tears Insufficient to Warrant Interim Injunction
On March 24, 2016, Justice Russell dismissed TearLab’s motion for an interim injunction that sought to prevent I-Med Pharma Inc. from marketing... Read More
Quebec Court Shines Light on LED Trade-mark Ownership
In 6766285 Canada Inc c. 2900319 Canada Inc., 2015 QCCS 5143, Justice Courchesne of the Quebec Superior Court held that Divvali was... Read More
Fight Over Factums: Ontario Divisional Court Grants Leave to Appeal From Decision Refusing to Approve a Class Action Settlement
In Waldman v. Thomson Reuters Canada Limited, 2015 ONSC 3843, Justice Swinton of the Ontario Divisional Court granted leave to appeal an... Read More
University Professor Unable to Rely on Copyright Fair Use in Plagiarism Suspension
On July 15, 2015, Justice Bich of the Quebec Court of Appeal released her judgment in Syndicat des professeures et professeurs de... Read More
Objections without merit: Federal Court takes stance against “under advisements”
In MediaTube v Bell, an action alleging infringement of the plaintiffs’ patent by Bell’s Fibe TV systems, discovery of the plaintiffs entailed... Read More
Cleaning Up the Waste: Federal Court Invalidates Patent for Treating Waste Material from Mining Operations
On August 24, 2015, Justice Phelan held that Canadian Patent No. 2,515,581 is invalid for obviousness (2015 FC 997). This action involved... Read More
Receivership Proceeding Cannot Be Passed Off As A Passing-Off Action
In Tangerine Financial Products Limited Partnerships v. The Revees Family Trust, 2015 BCCA 359, the Court of Appeal for British Columbia allowed... Read More
Injunction denied for failing to identify misused confidential information
In JTT Electronics Ltd. v. Farmer, the plaintiffs sought interlocutory injunctions to prohibit former employees from using their confidential information. The application... Read More
Lights Out: Interlocutory Injunction Forces Neon Sign Company to Change Name
On November 17, 2014, Justice Macintosh of the Supreme Court of British Columbia granted an interlocutory injunction that prevents the Defendants from... Read More
Threatening sanctions without a legal basis
The Denturist Association of Canada’s (“DAC”) five digit procedure codes are licensed to its provincial associations (including the Denturist Association of Ontario... Read More
Three strikes and you’re out? – Federal Court confirms subway TV patent is obvious
The Commissioner of Patents has thrice considered Patent Application No. 2,286,794 for the invention entitled “Subway TV Media System”. The patent application... Read More
Expert evidence of imaginative skilled person rejected
On September 5, 2014, Justice O’Keefe released his Reasons for Judgment in a patent infringement action between Dow Chemical and Nova Chemicals... Read More
Court denies self-represented litigant leave to adduce new evidence of trade-mark use on appeal
Medos Services Corporation, its principal Alexander Vlasseros, and a related corporation, Marathon Medical Inc., appealed the judgment of the Federal Court that... Read More