Gemini Data, Inc. v. Google LLC

• Court: District Court, N.D. California
• Decided: January 27, 2026
• Docket: 4:24-cv-06412
• Status: Unknown

Opinion

1 2 3 4 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 5 NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 6 7 GEMINI DATA, INC., Case No. 24-cv-06412-JSW

8 Plaintiff, ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR LEAVE TO FILE AMENDED 9 v. COMPLAINT AND MODFIFYING SCHEDULING ORDER 10 GOOGLE LLC, Re: Dkt. No. 75 Defendant. 11

12 13 This matter comes before the Court upon consideration of the motion to modify the 14 scheduling order and for leave to file an amended complaint, filed by Plaintiff Gemini Data, Inc. 15 (“Gemini Data”). The Court has considered the parties’ papers, relevant legal authority, and the 16 record in this case.1 The Court finds the motion is suitable for disposition without oral argument, 17 VACATES the hearing scheduled for February 6, 2026, and GRANTS Gemini Data’s motion. 18 BACKGROUND 19 On September 11, 2024, Gemini Data filed its original complaint accusing Google of 20 trademark infringement and unfair competition under federal and state law after Google rebranded 21 its artificial intelligence chatbot from BARD to GEMINI. According to Gemini Data, “Google 22 has unabashedly wielded its power to rob Gemini of its cultivated brand. Assuming a small 23 company like Gemini Data would not be in a position to challenge a corporate giant wielding 24 overwhelming power, Google continues to knowingly and willfully infringe on Gemini Data’s 25 rights, seemingly without remorse.” (Compl. ¶ 8.) Google filed an answer to the Complaint. 26 1 Defendant Google LLC (“Google”) objected to Gemini Data’s references to statements it 27 made in a settlement conference statement. Gemini Data voluntarily withdrew its reliance on 1 On January 7, 2025, the Court vacated the case management conference and issued a 2 Scheduling Order. (Dkt. No. 28 (Scheduling Order).) The deadline to file amended pleadings was 3 May 2, 2025. (Id.) Neither Gemini Data nor Google amended their pleadings. On September 5, 4 2025, the Court granted the parties’ stipulation to modify the Scheduling Order. (Dkt. No. 44.) In 5 October 2025, Gemini Data filed a motion to further modify the Scheduling Order because it was 6 in the process of retaining new counsel. The Court granted that motion, in part. (Dkt. No. 49.) 7 Gemini Data’s new counsel entered their appearance in November 2025. Under the current 8 Scheduling Order, fact discovery closed on December 18, 2025, expert disclosures are due on 9 February 6, 2026, and expert discovery closes on February 18, 2026. (Dkt. Nos. 44, 49.) 10 Gemini Data attests that in November 2025, it advised Google that it would not be relying 11 on forecasts regarding commercial success because the case was about reverse confusion. 12 (Declaration of Shannon Frazier (“Frazier Decl.”), ¶ 5.) Gemini Data attests that, or about 13 December 2, 2025, Google notified it that it did not believe Gemini Data alleged reverse confusion 14 in the Complaint. (Id. ¶¶ 6, 18.) Google attests that none of Gemini Data’s initial disclosures or 15 discovery responses mentioned reverse confusion until November 25, 2025. (Declaration of 16 Dylan Scher, ¶¶ 3-4.) 17 Although Gemini Data contends the initial complaint was sufficient to plead reverse 18 confusion, it moves to modify the Scheduling Order’s deadline to file amended pleadings and for 19 leave to file an amended complaint that removes allegations of forward confusion.2 20 ANALYSIS 21 A. Applicable Legal Standards. 22 Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 16(b) governs a party’s attempts to amend its pleading 23 once the district court’s deadline for amending pleadings has passed. Johnson v. Mammoth 24 Recreations, Inc., 975 F.2d 604, 607-08 (9th Cir. 1992). The moving party may amend their 25 pleading if they can establish “good cause” to do so. Id. Once Rule 16(b) is satisfied, leave to 26

27 2 Gemini Data also moves for leave to remove the Doe Defendants. Although Google 1 amend should be “freely given as justice so requires” under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 15(a). 2 Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a). Granting leave to amend rests in the sound discretion of the district court. 3 Pisciotta v. Teledyne Industries, Inc., 91 F.3d 1326, 1331 (9th Cir. 1996). “Although the rule 4 should be interpreted with extreme liberality, leave to amend is not to be granted automatically.” 5 Jackson v. Bank of Hawaii, 902 F.2d 1385, 1387 (9th Cir. 1990) (citations omitted). 6 B. Gemini Data Has Shown Good Cause Under Rule 16. 7 “Rule 16(b)’s ‘good cause’ standard primarily considers the diligence of the party seeking 8 the amendment.” Johnson, 975 F.2d at 609. Diligence is generally determined by examining the 9 time between the moving party’s discovery of new facts and the time it asks leave of the court to 10 file an amended pleading. See, e.g., Zivkovic v. S. Cal. Edison Co., 302 F.3d 1080, 1087-88 (9th 11 Cir. 2002); Coleman v. Quaker Oats Co., 232 F.3d 1271, 1294-95 (9th Cir. 2000). If a party fails 12 to show it was diligent, the inquiry should end. See Johnson, 975 F.2d at 609. 13 Google does not dispute that Gemini Data promptly filed this motion after learning that 14 Google did not believe it had alleged reverse confusion. Google argues that Gemini Data has not 15 been diligent because it should have known its theory of liability since the outset of the litigation. 16 “[R]everse confusion is not a separate claim that must be specifically pleaded, but instead is a 17 theory of likely confusion that may be alleged by itself or in addition to forward confusion.” 18 Marketquest Grp. Inc. v. Bic Corp., 862 F.3d 927, 932 (9th Cir. 2017). “[W]hen reverse confusion 19 is compatible with the theory of infringement alleged in the complaint, a plaintiff need not 20 specifically plead it.” Id. 21 “Forward confusion” occurs when a consumer believes “that goods bearing the junior 22 mark,” here Google’s GEMINI products, “come from or were sponsored by, the senior mark 23 holder,” i.e., Gemini Data. Surfvivor Media, Inc. v. Survivor Prods., 406 F.3d 625, 630 (9th Cir. 24 2005). In contrast, “reverse confusion occurs when consumers dealing with the senior mark 25 holder believe that they are doing business with the junior one.” Id.; see also Dermfx, Inc. v. 26 Obagi Med. Prods., Inc., No. SACV 15–01999 JVS (DFMx), 2017 WL 2684548, at *4 (C.D. Cal. 27 Mar. 24, 2017) (“[T]he basic question is whether (1) a plaintiff holding a senior mark claims that 1 confusion—or (2) a plaintiff claims that consumers are confused regarding the origination of a 2 plaintiff’s products—which is reverse confusion.”). 3 Gemini Data originally alleged that Google’s use of the GEMINI mark “is likely to 4 deceive consumers as to the origin, source, sponsorship, or affiliation of [Google’s] AI tools, and 5 is likely to cause consumers to believe, contrary to fact, that [Google’s] AI tools are sold, 6 authorized, endorsed, or sponsored by [Gemini], or that [Google] is in some way affiliated with or 7 sponsored by [Gemini].” (Compl. ¶ 47.) Although Gemini Data now seeks to flip the references 8 to the parties those allegations, it did not reference any specific instances of confusion in the 9 original complaint and included general allegations that Google’s use of the GEMINI mark was 10 likely to cause confusion. (See, e.g., Compl. ¶¶ 5, 39, 45.) 11 Google did not limit its discovery requests to instances of forward confusion. It asked for 12 discovery on “each instance of confusion” Gemini Data contended had occurred. (See, e.g., 13 Frazier Decl., ¶¶ 5, 7-9, Ex. C (Rule 30(b)(6) Depo. Notice at p. 8 ¶ 14), Ex. D (Request for 14 Production No. 20), Ex. E (Request for Production 56), Ex. F (Interrogatory No. 7).) In its 15 responses, Gemini identified instances of reverse confusion. (See, e.g., id., ¶ 11, Ex. H 16 (Supplemental Response to Interrogatory No. 7).) Google argues that Gemini Data’s responses to 17 discovery are irrelevant because it is entitled to rely on the allegations in the Complaint. 18 The Court concludes the cases on which Google relies are distinguishable. For example, in 19 Dermfx, the court was addressing a motion for summary judgment and had to determine which of 20 the Sleekcraft factors were most relevant. 2017 WL 2684548, at *4-*5; see also Paulick v. 21 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. No. 10-cv-01919-JCS, 2012 WL 2990760 (N.D. Cal. 22 July 20, 2012) (in ADA access case, court refused to consider barriers identified in motion that 23 were not identified in complaint because a Ninth Circuit decision required the plaintiff to plead 24 barriers with specificity). In addition, in Baker v. Santa Clara University, the plaintiff asked the 25 defendant to stipulate to amendment but waited five months before providing the proposed 26 amendment to defendant. The plaintiff then waited another two months before she sought leave to 27 amend. No. 17-cv-02213-EJD, 2018 WL 3491689, at *3 (N.D. Cal. July 19, 2018). 1 in its original complaint. Looking at the allegations in their entirety, the Court cannot conclude 2 that reverse confusion would be an implausible theory. Gemini Data promptly filed this motion 3 when Google challenged its theory. The Court concludes Gemini Data has been diligent and finds 4 it has shown good cause to seek leave to modify the deadline to file amended pleadings and good 5 cause for leave to amend. 6 C. Gemini Data Has Met Its Burden Under Rule 15. 7 Under Rule 15, the Court considers five factors to determine whether to grant leave to 8 amend: (1) bad faith, (2) undue delay, (3) prejudice to the opposing party, (4) futility of 9 amendment, and (5) whether the plaintiff has previously amended the complaint. Johnson v. 10 Buckley, 356 F.3d 1067, 1077 (9th Cir. 2004). “[I]t is the consideration of prejudice to the 11 opposing party that carries the greatest weight…Absent prejudice, or a strong showing of any of 12 the remaining … factors, there exists a presumption under Rule 15(a) in favor of granting leave to 13 amend.” Eminence Cap., LLC v. Aspeon, Inc., 316 F.3d 1048, 1052 (9th Cir. 2003). 14 For the reasons articulated in the previous section, the Court concludes Gemini Data has 15 not unduly delayed in seeking leave to amend. Because this is the first time Gemini Data has 16 amended the complaint, the fifth factor also weighs in its favor. The Court also concludes that the 17 record does not support finding that Gemini Data acted in bad faith. 18 Google argues that because discovery has closed and the deadlines for expert discovery are 19 approaching, it will be prejudiced by what it perceives as an about face in Gemini Data’s theory of 20 the case. “The danger of prejudice is heightened when a plaintiff seeks to amend its complaint in 21 the later stages of litigation or on the eve of trial.” Scognamillo v. Credit Suisse First Bos., LLC, 22 587 F. Supp. 2d 1149, 1155 (N.D. Cal. 2008) (internal citation omitted) (denying leave to amend 23 because plaintiff sought to add additional claims twelve weeks before discovery cut-off date). 24 However, “[p]rejudice must be substantial in order for the Court to justify denying leave to 25 amend.” Morongo Band of Mission Indians v. Rose, 893 F.2d 1074, 1079 (9th Cir. 1990). 26 Google does provide any argument showing that the Court would be required to reopen 27 fact discovery. It does argue that the focus on reverse confusion could impact expert surveys. ] the amended pleading contains “different legal theories and require[s] proof of different fact[s],” 2 || the opposing party may be prejudiced). The Court concludes any such prejudice can be remedied 3 || by an extension of existing deadlines. Finally, Google argues that it would be futile to grant 4 |} Gemini Data leave to amend because the instances of confusion it has produced in discovery do 5 || not constitute actionable confusion. That is a question for summary judgment, not whether leave 6 || to amend should be granted. 7 Accordingly, the Court GRANTS Gemini Data’s motion. Gemini Data shall file the 8 amended by no later than February 3, 2026, and Google shall file its responsive pleading by no 9 || later than February 17, 2026. In addition, the Court MODIFIES the Scheduling Order as follows: 10 Designation of Experts by 3/23/2026. 11 Close of Expert Discovery by 4/3/2026. 12 Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment due by 5/1/2026. 13 Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment and Opposition due by 5/22/2026. 14 Plaintiff's Opposition and Reply due by 6/12/2026. 15 Defendant’s reply due by 6/26/2026. a 16 Motion for Summary Judgment Hearing set for July 31, 2026, at 09:00 AM 2 17 The Court will not alter the briefing schedule or hearing date for Daubert motions. 18 IT IS SO ORDERED. a | 19 || Dated: January 27, 2026 f | f he □□ JEEFREY /§. WHITE Uptiyed SY tes Distri Judge 22 Lf 23 24 25 26 27 28