Colors+ v. Colors+ Counseling, LLC

CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Ohio
DecidedAugust 12, 2025
Docket1:25-cv-00078
StatusUnknown

This text of Colors+ v. Colors+ Counseling, LLC (Colors+ v. Colors+ Counseling, LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Colors+ v. Colors+ Counseling, LLC, (N.D. Ohio 2025).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO

COLORS+, Case No. 1:25-cv-00078-PAB

Plaintiff, -vs- JUDGE PAMELA A. BARKER

COLORS+ COUNSELING, LLC, et al., MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER Defendants.

Currently pending is Defendants Colors+ Counseling (“Counseling”), Kameron Pepera (“Kameron”), and Lennon Pepera (“Lennon”)1 (collectively, “Defendants”) Motion for Clarification of Court’s Order of May 15, 2025 (“Motion to Clarify”). (Doc. No. 37.) Therein, Defendants seek clarification as to whether the new logos created by Counseling comply with this Court’s May 15, 2025 Order enjoining Defendants from using Plaintiff’s Mark or “any similar but slightly altered version of the specific Mark at issue.” (Id.) For the following reasons, Counseling’s Motion is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART.2

1 Defendants Kameron and Lennon are referenced in the Complaint and on the docket by the names “Kristen” and “Lisa” respectively. (See Doc. No. 1.) However, at the preliminary injunction hearing, they indicated that they preferred to be referenced as Kameron and Lennon. (See 3/28/2025 Hearing Tr., 4:3-21.) Accordingly, consistent with the preliminary injunction hearing, the Court refers to the Peperas as Kameron and Lennon in this Opinion.

2 The Court construes Defendants’ Motion as seeking a ruling that its three new logos comply with the Court’s Injunction. In this regard, as explained further below, the Motion is granted in part and denied in part. I. Background and Procedural History” This case involves a dispute over the ownership, trademarking, and use of a service mark (hereinafter “the Mark”). The Mark in dispute* is shown below:

A. The Parties Plaintiff Colors+ (“Plaintiff’ or “Colors+’’) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation formed on January 12, 2018, and existing under the laws of the state of Ohio. (Doc. No. 1 at PageID #2.) Colors+ operates Colors+ Youth Center, an LGBTQ+ youth center whose purpose is to strengthen LGBTQ+ youth and allies by promoting individual and community wellness. (/d.) Defendants Kameron and Lennon (collectively, “the Peperas”) co-founded Colors+, and Colors+ has been governed by a board of directors (hereinafter “Colorst+ Board” or “Board”) since March 22, 2018, if not earlier. (/d.) In August 2018, seven months after the founding of Colors+, the Peperas formed Defendant Counseling as a for-profit limited liability company to provide for-profit mental health services, resources, and education to the LGBTQ+ community and the community at large. (/d.) At the time

3 This background is limited to the facts necessary for resolution of the issues presented in Defendants’ Motion. A more complete summary of the facts of the case can be found in the Court’s Memorandum Opinion and Order dated May 15, 2025. (Doc. No. 32.) + As explained further below, the Mark in dispute shown here is an updated version of a similar logo that had been created previously.

they formed Counseling, the Peperas served on the Colors+ Board. (Id.) Kameron and Lennon later served as executive director and deputy director of Colors+ respectively. (Id.) Counseling had offices in the Colors+ offices—i.e., Colors+ and Counseling shared the same space—until July 2024. (3/28/2025 Hearing Tr., Doc. No. 23, 38:24-39:4 85:2-17; 4/8/2025 Hearing Tr., Doc. No. 26, 264:14- 16.) B. The Mark

1. Creation of Original Logo The Mark at issue is an updated version of an original logo (hereinafter the “Original Logo”) created by Lennon. With respect to the creation of the Original Logo, Lennon’s affidavit provides as follows: “In January 2018, I created a logo for the Youth Center which Kameron and I intended to be used on the Youth Center’s website and marketing material. It was also our intention to use the logo in connection with Counseling as the two entities shared offices and resources.”5 (Id. at PageID #219.) On January 13, 2018, the Original Logo was digitized and refined. (See Doc. No 28-18 at PageID #999–1001; see also Doc. No. 15-8 at PageID #220 (indicating that Lennon “engaged designers to help … digitize and refine the images”).) Thereafter, the Original Logo was used by Colors+ and the Counseling practice. (See 4/8/2025 Hearing Tr., 345:6-11.) The Original Logo is shown below:

5 Lennon’s affidavit also provides: “I did not assign any rights in my designs to the Youth Center for its exclusive use as we intended to, and did, incorporate the same logo for Counseling’s marketing materials.” (Doc. No. 15-8 at PageID #220.)

3 (Doc. No. 15-8 at PageID #220.) The Original Logo differs from the updated Mark at issue. Unlike the updated Mark,® the “+” symbol on the Original Logo above does not include the “progress flag”—1.e., the white, pink, blue, brown, and black flag located on the left side of the “+” symbol in the updated Mark. 2. Creating the Mark by Updating Original Logo to Include “Progress Flag” The Parties do not dispute the following. On November 21, 2020, the Colors+ Board met and discussed incorporating the progress flag into the Original Logo. (See 3/28/2025 Hearing Tr., 127:4- 12, 169:5-11; see 4/8/2025 Hearing Tr., 266:5-8; Doc. No. 27-1 at PageID #871-78.) In January 2021, another Colors+ Board meeting was held in which the “logo” was discussed. (See 3/28/2025 Hearing Tr., 169:12-17; see 4/8/2025 Hearing Tr., 266:5-9; Doc. No. 27-1 at PageID #879-884.) Following these meetings, the Original Logo was updated to include the progress flag. The newly created Mark (at issue in this case) is shown below:

6 See infra Section I.B.2.

C. Preliminary Injunction On January 15, 2025, Colorst+ filed a Verified Complaint for Preliminary and Permanent Injunctive Relief and Damages against Defendants Counseling, Kameron, and Lennon. (Doc. No. 1.) Colors+ asserts 14 claims against Defendants: (1) Lanham Act pursuant to 15 U.S.C. § 1119 (rectifying the trademark registry — transferring ownership of the registered Mark to Colorst+); (2) Lanham Act pursuant to 15 U.S.C. § 1119 (rectifying the trademark registry — canceling Colors+ Counseling’s 2024 trademark application); (3) Lanham Act violation pursuant to 15 U.S.C. § 1120 (civil liability for false or fraudulent registration); (4) Lanham Act violation (service mark infringement); (5) Lanham Act violation (false advertising); (6) Breach of Fiduciary Duty; (7) Faithless Servant Doctrine; (8) Civil Liability for Criminal Act (Deprivation of U.S. Mail pursuant to R.C. § 2913.01); (9) Civil Liability for Criminal Act (Deception pursuant to R.C. § 2913.01); (10) Civil Liability for Criminal Act (Theft pursuant to R.C. § 2913.02); (11) Civil Liability for Criminal Act (Unauthorized Use of Property pursuant to R.C. § 2913.02); (12) Civil Liability for Criminal Act (Trademark Counterfeiting pursuant to R.C. § 2913.34); (13) Deceptive Trade Practices pursuant to R.C. § 4165.02; and (14) Defamation. (/d.) On January 16, 2025, Colors+ filed a Motion for Preliminary Injunction. (Doc. No. 5.) Therein, Colors+ sought an Order from this Court, in relevant part: (1) prohibiting Defendants from using “Colorst+” or “Colorsplus” in its company name (“Colors+ Counseling”) or to otherwise

identify itself or its service; and (11) prohibiting Defendants from using the registered Colors+ service Mark. (/d. at PageID #72.) Defendants filed an Opposition to the Motion for Preliminary Injunction, and Colors+ subsequently filed a Reply. (Doc. Nos. 15, 17.) Thereafter, the Court conducted a hearing on the Motion on two dates, March 28, 2025 and April 8, 2025.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Champion Spark Plug Co. v. Sanders
331 U.S. 125 (Supreme Court, 1947)
Conan Properties, Inc. v. Conans Pizza, Inc.
752 F.2d 145 (Fifth Circuit, 1985)
Autozone, Inc. And Speedbar, Inc. v. Tandy Corp.
373 F.3d 786 (Sixth Circuit, 2004)
Pronational Insurance v. Bagetta
347 F. Supp. 2d 469 (E.D. Michigan, 2004)
Innovation Ventures, LLC v. N2G Distributing, Inc.
763 F.3d 524 (Sixth Circuit, 2014)
CFE Racing Products, Inc. v. BMF Wheels, Inc.
793 F.3d 571 (Sixth Circuit, 2015)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
Colors+ v. Colors+ Counseling, LLC, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/colors-v-colors-counseling-llc-ohnd-2025.