Laerdal Med. Corp. v. Int'l Trade Comm'n

910 F.3d 1207
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
DecidedDecember 7, 2018
Docket2017-2445
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 910 F.3d 1207 (Laerdal Med. Corp. v. Int'l Trade Comm'n) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Laerdal Med. Corp. v. Int'l Trade Comm'n, 910 F.3d 1207 (Fed. Cir. 2018).

Opinion

O'Malley, Circuit Judge.

Laerdal Medical Corp. and Laerdal Medical AS (collectively, "Laerdal") appeal from the U.S. International Trade Commission's final determination denying Laerdal relief based on claims of trade dress infringement against defaulting respondents. Certain Carbon Spine Board, Cervical Collar, CPR Masks and Various Med. Training Manikin Devices , USITC Inv. No. 337-TA-1008 (June 14, 2017). After instituting an investigation during which the named parties failed to participate and were deemed to be in default, the Commission concluded that Laerdal's trade dress allegations had not been adequately pleaded, and therefore, denied *1210 Laerdal any remedy against the named parties.

We conclude that the Commission erred in reassessing the sufficiency of Laerdal's complaint against defaulting respondents post-institution and in failing to assess the appropriate remedy to impose under the circumstances. We, therefore, reverse the Commission's determination as to Laerdal's trade dress claims and vacate and remand for the Commission to determine the proper remedy.

I. BACKGROUND

Laerdal is a manufacturer and distributor of medical devices, medical training products, and manikins. J.A. 2159, 2333. On March 21, 2016, Laerdal filed a complaint at the U.S. International Trade Commission (the "Commission") asserting violations of 19 U.S.C. § 1337 by eleven respondents. Laerdal amended its complaint on May 18, 2016 and filed a supplement to the amended complaint on June 7, 2016. J.A. 2358.

Laerdal's complaint, as amended and supplemented, alleged that the respondents were infringing Laerdal's patent, trademark, trade dress, and copyright rights by importing, selling for importation, or selling within the United States certain spine boards, cervical collars, CPR masks, training manikins, and accompanying product literature. J.A. 2140-261. Laerdal sought a general exclusion order covering the various infringing products, a limited exclusion order "as an addition, or in the alternative" to the general exclusion order, and a cease and desist order directed to each respondent. J.A. 2259-60.

On June 2, 2016, in response to the complaint, the Commission's Office of Unfair Import Investigations ("Staff") requested supplemental information on certain of Laerdal's allegations related to one asserted patent and three asserted trademarks. J.A. 2349-50. Laerdal provided the requested information on June 7, 2016 and requested that, if the additional evidence was insufficient, the Commission institute an investigation as to the remaining patent, trademark, trade dress, and copyright allegations. J.A. 2353-57. Thirteen days later, the Commission did exactly that, instituting an investigation on some, but not all, of Laerdal's claims. Specifically, the Commission instituted an investigation on Laerdal's trade dress claims, one patent claim, two copyright claims, and one trademark claim, excluding all others. J.A. 2358-62.

Despite being served with the amended complaint and notice of investigation, no respondent submitted any response, appeared, or otherwise participated in any way in any of the proceedings. J.A. 2478-99. On October 20, 2016, therefore, Laerdal moved for an order requiring Respondents to show cause why they should not be found in default under § 1337(g)(1). J.A. 2550-59. The Administrative Law Judge ("ALJ") granted Laerdal's motion and issued the Order to Show Cause on November 7, 2016. J.A. 2584-86. Respondents again failed to respond to or acknowledge that order. Two weeks later, the ALJ issued an initial determination finding all respondents in default. J.A. 2589-95.

On December 1, 2016, in response to the ALJ's initial determination, Laerdal modified its requested relief from a general exclusion order to "immediate entry of limited exclusion orders (and cease and desist orders, where appropriate) against the defaulting Respondents." J.A. 2599.

The Commission ultimately determined not to review the ALJ's initial determination finding all respondents in default and requested that Laerdal and the Staff provide briefing on remedy, the public interest, *1211 and bonding, and submit proposed remedial orders. J.A. 2609-12. The Commission did not request information on any other issue.

Laerdal and the Staff each responded that public interest factors did not preclude relief and requested a 100 percent bond rate, a cease and desist order against the sole domestic respondent, and limited exclusion orders directed to all respondents. J.A. 2618-25, 2629-35, 2744-52, 2778-86, 2789-95, 2796-804. Both Laerdal and the Staff, moreover, expressed that, because Laerdal satisfied the requirements of § 1337(g)(1), the Commission was required to presume the facts alleged in the complaint to be true and issue an exclusion order, cease and desist order, or both, unless such relief was precluded by public interest concerns. See J.A. 2621-22, 2780-81.

On June 14, 2017, the Commission issued its final determination, granting Laerdal limited exclusion orders against three respondents and a cease and desist order against one respondent, all based on Laerdal's patent and trademark claims. J.A. 1-13. The Commission issued no relief, however, on Laerdal's trade dress and copyright claims, finding Laerdal's allegations in those claims inadequate. J.A. 5-11. Specifically, the Commission concluded that, even when the pleaded facts were presumed true, Laerdal failed to show that any respondent violated § 1337 with respect to the alleged trade dresses and copyrights. J.A. 8, 11.

As to Laerdal's trade dress claims-the only claims at issue in this appeal-the Commission found that Laerdal failed to plead sufficiently (1) that it suffered the requisite harm, (2) the specific elements that constitute its trade dresses, and (3) that its trade dresses were not functional. J.A. 8-11. Thus, despite approving the ALJ's initial determination finding all respondents in default and despite requesting supplemental briefing solely related to the appropriate remedy, the Commission issued Laerdal no relief on those claims or against any of the respondents named in those claims.

Laerdal appeals the Commission's termination of its trade dress claims, contending the Commission acted in violation of § 1337(g)(1) by terminating the investigation and issuing no relief for its trade dress claims against defaulting respondents. 1 We have jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1295 (a)(6).

II. DISCUSSION

Statutory interpretation is a question of law reviewed de novo. Belkin Int'l, Inc. v. Kappos , 696 F.3d 1379

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910 F.3d 1207, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/laerdal-med-corp-v-intl-trade-commn-cafc-2018.