Bentley Motors Ltd. Corp. v. McEntegart

899 F. Supp. 2d 1291, 2012 WL 4792820, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 145252
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedOctober 9, 2012
DocketCase No. 8:12-cv-1582-T-33TBM
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 899 F. Supp. 2d 1291 (Bentley Motors Ltd. Corp. v. McEntegart) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bentley Motors Ltd. Corp. v. McEntegart, 899 F. Supp. 2d 1291, 2012 WL 4792820, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 145252 (M.D. Fla. 2012).

Opinion

ORDER

VIRGINIA M. HERNANDEZ COVINGTON, District Judge.

This cause comes before the Court pursuant to the September 19, 2012, report and recommendation of Thomas B. McCoun, United States Magistrate Judge (Doc. # 43), in which Judge McCoun recommends that Plaintiffs’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Doc. # 5) be granted.

As of this date, there are no objections to the report and recommendation, and the time for the parties to file such objections has elapsed.

After conducting a careful and complete review of the findings and recommendations, a district judge may accept, reject or modify the magistrate judge’s report and recommendation. 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1); Williams v. Wainwright, 681 F.2d 732 (11th Cir.1982), cert. denied, 459 U.S. 1112, 103 S.Ct. 744, 74 L.Ed.2d 964 (1983). In the absence of specific objections, there is no requirement that a district judge review factual findings de novo, Garvey v. Vaughn, 993 F.2d 776, 779 n. 9 (11th Cir.1993), and the court may accept, reject or modify, in whole or in part, the findings and recommendations. 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(C). The district judge reviews legal conclusions de novo, even in the absence of an objection. See Cooper-Houston v. S. Ry. Co., 37 F.3d 603, 604 (11th Cir.1994); Castro Bobadilla v. Reno, 826 F.Supp. 1428, 1431-32 (S.D.Fla.1993), aff'd, 28 F.3d 116 (11th Cir.1994).

After conducting a careful and complete review of the findings, conclusions and recommendations, and giving de novo review to matters of law, the Court accepts the factual findings and legal conclusions of the magistrate judge and the recommendation of the magistrate judge.

[1295]*1295Accordingly, it is hereby

ORDERED, ADJUDGED, and DECREED:

(1) The report and recommendation of Thomas B. McCoun, United States Magistrate Judge (Doc. #43) is ACCEPTED and ADOPTED.

(2) Plaintiffs’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Doc. # 5) is GRANTED.

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

THOMAS B. McCOUN III, United States Magistrate Judge.

THIS CAUSE is before the Court on referral for a Report and Recommendation on Bentley’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction and Memorandum in Support (Doc. 5) and Matthew McEntegart’s Declaration in Response to Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Doc. 35).1 A hearing on the Motion was conducted September 10, 2012. For the reasons set forth herein, I recommend the Motion be GRANTED.

Bentley Motors Limited Corporation is a foreign corporation organized under the laws of Great Britain. Bentley Motors, Inc. is a corporation organized under the laws of Delaware. These corporations, collectively referred to herein as “Bentley,” manufacture, distribute, sell and service high-end automobiles. Fugazzi Cars, Inc. (“Fugazzi”) is a Florida corporation operating in St. Petersburg, Florida. Matthew McEntegart (“McEntegart”) is the owner and operator of Fugazzi. Fugazzi has not made an appearance in this action. McEntegart, appears pro se. Keeping it Real Auto Customizing, Inc. (“Keeping it Real”) is a Florida corporation operating in Clearwater, Florida. Its owner and operator is Robert Frary, III (“Frary”).

By its Verified Complaint filed in July 2012, Bentley sues Defendants for counterfeiting, infringement and dilution of Bentley’s trademarks and trade dress rights in the inherently distinctive shape of Bentley vehicles, particularly the Continental GTC vehicle, and for infringement of Bentley’s United States Design Patent (D570,738S) in the ornamental design of its vehicles. In short, Bentley alleges that Defendants unlawfully manufacture Bentley body kits that transform ordinary and inexpensive Chrysler Sebring and Ford Mustang automobiles into knock-off Bentley vehicles by intentionally misappropriating the overall appearance and shape of the Bentley GTC automobile and Bentley trademarks, including copies and colorable imitations thereof, and incorporating them into Bentley car kits. By its allegations, Defendants continue to manufacture, advertise and sell these kits despite Bentley’s cease and desist demands. (Doc. 1). Bentley sues Defendants in four counts for: (1) trademark dilution under 15 U.S.C. § 1125(c); (2) trademark infringement and counterfeiting under 15 U.S.C. § 1114(1); (3)false advertising, false designation of origin and trade dress infringement under 15 U.S.C. § 1125(a); (4) and design patent infringement under 35 U.S.C. § 271.2 Among other relief sought, Bentley seeks preliminary and permanent injunction against further infringement. Id.

I.

By its motion for injunctive relief, Bentley seeks issuance of a preliminary injunction under the Lanham Act, precluding Defendants from acts of (1) trademark infringement under 15 U.S.C. § 1114(l)(a); (2) trade dress infringement under 15 [1296]*1296U.S.C. § 1125; and (3) trademark dilution under 15 U.S.C. § 1125(c)(1). Bentley again argues that the Defendants’ transformation of model year 2001 through 2006 Chrysler Sebring automobiles into knockoff or imitation Bentley Continental GTC automobiles causes irreparable harm to its goodwill because when the public views the imitation Bentley vehicles made with Defendants’ car body kits, they will mistakenly believe that the unsurpassed quality and reputation of genuine Bentley vehicles have deteriorated. Despite Defendants’ claims that they have not engaged in the manufacture, advertisement, sale and/or distribution of the offending body-kits since receiving Bentley’s cease and desist letter, and despite any disclaimer employed by Defendants, injunctive relief is necessary. Bentley seeks preliminary injunctive relief requesting that Defendants and all of their officers, directors, agents, servants, and employees are:

a. Enjoined and restrained from manufacturing, advertising, marketing and/or selling ear body kits and/or replica cars that use, copy, misappropriate the following trademarks: BENTLEY®, the Bentley BTM, and the B IN WINGS®, and/or the trade dress of any Bentley vehicle.
b. Enjoined and restrained from otherwise violating Bentley’s trademark and trade dress rights.
c. Enjoined and restrained from instructing, assisting, aiding or abetting any other person or business entity in engaging in or performing any of the activities mentioned above.
d.

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899 F. Supp. 2d 1291, 2012 WL 4792820, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 145252, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bentley-motors-ltd-corp-v-mcentegart-flmd-2012.