National Van Lines, Inc. v. Dean

194 F. Supp. 334, 129 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 115, 1960 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4859
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Illinois
DecidedMarch 9, 1960
DocketNo. 57 C 665
StatusPublished

This text of 194 F. Supp. 334 (National Van Lines, Inc. v. Dean) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
National Van Lines, Inc. v. Dean, 194 F. Supp. 334, 129 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 115, 1960 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4859 (N.D. Ill. 1960).

Opinion

CAMPBELL, Chief Judge.

Plaintiff, National Van Lines (hereinafter referred to as “National”), an Illinois corporation, brings this action for damages and injunctive relief against defendants, Dean Van Lines, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as “Dean”), a California corporation, and Alfred E. Dean, President of Dean Van Lines, and a California citizen (On July 18, 1957, plaintiff dismissed the action as to defendants, John Mechanic and National Van Lines of Wisconsin), for alleged infringement of plaintiff’s service marks, Registrations No.'548,018 and No. 563,950, for unfair competition and for contempt of an injunction issued by the District Court for the Southern District of California in previous litigation between the parties (Plaintiff’s Exhibits Nos. 1 and 2). The cause having come on for trial upon a stipulation of facts, exhibits and briefs of the parties is presently before me for disposition.

A summary of the factual background leading up to the present litigation may be found in National Van Lines v. Dean, 9 Cir., 237 F.2d 688, at pages 690, 691:

“Appellant, National Van Lines, Inc., is an Illinois corporation. It engages in the nationwide business of moving household goods by motor van. The forerunner of the present company was started in 1928, under the name ‘National Shippers & Movers.’ In about 1930, the company began using this name, placed horizontally on a shield with vertical stripes, as a service mark.
“In June, 1934, the business was incorporated under the name ‘National Van Lines, Inc.’ The service mark was then changed to its present form. It shows the new name in blue or black, between heavy red or black lines, across the middle of a shield. The upper part of the shield is in blue or black, across which the words ‘National Wide’ appear in white. The lower part of the shield, outlined in blue or black, consists of red and white, or black and white, vertical stripes.
“Late in October, 1944, appellant and appellee, Alfred E. Dean, entered into negotiations looking to the [336]*336execution of an agency contract. In contemplation of this arrangement, Dean began a local moving van business in the San Diego Bay area, under the name ‘National Van & Storage.’ The contract was signed on November 7, 1944. Under its terms, appellee undertook to book interstate shipments for appellant on a commission basis. The contract was signed on November 7, 1944. Under its terms, appellee undertook to book interstate shipments for appellant on a commission basis. The business so booked was to be handled by appellant under the latter’s name.
“Appellee, who was permitted to continue his local moving business, agreed in this contract that he would' not use the names ‘National Van’, ‘National Van Lines,’ or ‘National Van Lines, Inc.’ As soon as the contract was executed, Dean accordingly changed his firm name to ‘National Transfer & Storage Co.’
“On May 17, 1948, appellant filed an application for the registration of its service mark, described above, on the principal register of the United States Patent Office. The application states that no claim is made to the words ‘Nation Wide’ and ‘Van Lines, Inc.’ apart from the mark as shown. This mark was registered on September 11, 1951. On January 4, 1952, appellant filed a similar application to register the service mark ‘National Van Lines’ without the shield. This was registered on September 9, 1952.
“In November, 1949, Dean adopted the service mark which, appellant asserts, infringes upon the latter’s mark, constitutes unfair competition, and amounts to a breach of the agency contract. In Dean’s mark, the words ‘National Transfer & Storage,’ in blue or black, are superimposed across the middle of an outline map of the United States. The word ‘National’ is emphasized by the use of shaded block letters. The upper part of the outline map is shown in light blue or gray. The lower part consists of red and white, or black and white, vertical stripes, across which the words ‘Coast to Coast via Motor Van’ appear.
“The agency contract was canceled by Dean on February 20, 1950. He immediately changed the character of his business from that of a local mover to a nation-wide mover. His business increased from a four-van moving business, grossing $8,900 in 1944, to an eighty-three-van nationwide business, grossing $688,000 in 195Í. Thus, appellant and appellee became, and now are, direct nationwide competitors.”

Six months prior to the trial in the District Court for the Southern District of California, Dean began to identify its moving business by the name “Dean-Van Lines” and had discontinued completely the use of the name “National Transfer & Storage Company” prior to-the issuance of the injunction referred to-above and has not used the name “National” in any form to identify its services since the injunction issued (Stipulation, paragraph 16).

The judgment of the District Court for the Southern District of California-, upon mandate from the Court of Appeals-, for the Ninth Circuit provides in part as. follows:

“5. Defendant committed unfair competition by using the service mark, the principal characteristic of which is the use of vertical stripes in red and white, or black and white, below a name which begins with the-word ‘National’ to identify services comprising moving household goods, by motor van.
“6. Defendant, his agents, servants, employees and all those in concert with him, are hereby permanently enjoined and restrained from:
“a. Conducting business or rendering services related to or comprising moving household goods by motor van, under the trade name or-service mark, the principal charac[337]*337teristic of which is the use of vertical stripes in red and white, or black and white, below a name which begins with the word ‘National’ or any colorable imitation thereof.
“b. Otherwise competing unfairly with plaintiff in rendering services comprising moving household goods by motor van.”

Presently Dean Van Lines, Inc. identifies its services by a mark consisting of the name “Dean Van Lines” superimposed on an outline map of the United States, the map carrying alternate red and white stripes or black and white stripes in the lower portion below the name (Reproduction page 4 of the Stipulation). Dean Van Lines also uses an ancillary mark, STO-PAK, superimposed on an outline map of the United States, the map carrying alternate red and white stripes, or white and black stripes in the lower portion below the name (Reproduction page 5 of the Stipulation).

National Van Lines, a Wisconsin corporation (hereinafter referred to as “National-Wisconsin”), named in the complaint as co-defendant along with its chief executive officer, John Mechanic, was at the commencement of this suit, the agent of Dean and was permitted to use Dean’s service marks. National-Wisconsin, and its predecessor in title, has conducted a moving business in the States of Wisconsin and Illinois with moving vans bearing the name “National Van Lines” since 1930 and during its agency agreement with Dean used moving vans bearing its name and accompanied by the Dean service mark as reproduced on pages 4 and 5 of the Stipulation.

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194 F. Supp. 334, 129 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 115, 1960 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4859, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/national-van-lines-inc-v-dean-ilnd-1960.